Mistakes Were Made
by CrashingWorlds
Summary: Just because Sora is asleep doesn't mean the worlds are asleep, too. And just because I'm sorry doesn't mean I'm forgiven. Just you wait, Sora... Kairi... Roxas... everyone... this is my mistake, and I'll move all of Darkness and Nothingness to make it right. Even if it takes everything I have. Even if it changes me forever... The forgotten chapter of sleep. Namiku. Riku x Namine.
1. The Beginning

**Mistakes Were Made**

Chapter 1: The Beginning

**What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. - T. S. Eliot  
**

Namine toiled endlessly, the crayons dragging across paper and coming together in an array of pictures and images. Occasionally, she would glance up at the boy sleeping peacefully in the pod before her, close her eyes, and let the warmth of his memories envelop her- but only for a moment.

The entirety of the room was a chilling white, brimming with silence. The quiet rustle of paper on paper as Namine shifted her pad to continue drawing was the only sound in the castle. DiZ was at some lower point, restlessly dancing his fingers across the keys, but he was like a ghost, save for the scent of shadow lingering on his body.

Perhaps that was why Namine could clearly hear the opening of a dark portal at the first floor of Castle Oblivion. The sudden chill, the warped yawn of darkness, as though the fabric of the air was being torn open and released a tormented sigh.

She was immediately on her feet, hugging the pad against her chest, staring at the staircase that lead down, her breath quickening and her mouth going dry. How could Organization XIII have returned so fast? Had Axel brought others to the castle? DiZ was sure they would have more time before the Organization would arrive.  
The doors opened and out of the white light came a black cloak, hood drawn up and shrouding the face in mystery.

Namine's grip tightened around the pad and she stood in between the figure and Sora. Regardless of what DiZ said, they were here. And she was not about to let them touch the sleeping boy. She owed it to him to fulfill her promise.

But this person seemed entranced by the pod set in the center of the white room, his hood turned ever so slightly towards it. His presence was tangibly dark but not quite so vicious. It felt more... sorrowful than enraged.

It was a long time before his hood turned to face Namine. Immediately after seeing her, the hood turned away, a bit sharper. A long moment of tense silence bridged the gap.

"Um..." Namine said, but immediately the cloaked figure staggered as though he had been struck by a heavy force and collapsed to a knee, his body clenching and straining painfully. His hand clawed at his chest desperately, and a few strangled breaths echoed in the room. Tendrils of dark energy began slithering out from his chest, crawling along his body, enveloping it.

She found herself frozen in fear, the small notebook slipping out of her fingers as she cowered away from the cloaked figure. The barely contained darkness commanded terror and filled the air with a silent threat. She stepped back slowly, her fingers weak and her knees trembling, suddenly becoming conscious of how cold it was. Was that the darkness or was the castle always like that?

She stumbled and fell lightly, without much of a sound aside from a frightened gasp, but the hooded figure immediately snapped his gaze at the fallen girl, and he seemed to tense, ready to strike. Namine closed her eyes, deciding that whatever happened now was out of her hands.

The door behind her that lead lower into the castle burst open and DiZ stood, holding a large, strange device as one who hold a minigun. It seemed to have some form of blue-green crystal as its power source, and it was covered in cryptic runes and rings of metal. A blast of gold erupted from the tip of the device and struck the hooded figure as he lunged forward, sending him flying back into the far wall with a solid thud that shook the room. He actually bounced off the wall, gasping for breath as the wind was knocked clear out of him. His head snapped back and his hood fell back, revealing a bristling mess of silver hair, the tips gleaming like daggers in the soft light of the castle, falling in a mess around his wide and bright aquamarine eyes. He fell face first on the castle floor, his eyes closing softly.

"...R-Riku?" Namine said, squinting and rubbing her eyes to confirm his presence. He smelled... different.  
The darkness that had been crawling across his body spread around him in a circle of violet blue flames that eventually burned away, leaving a dry and cold feeling in the air. The soft silence settled back into the room and Namine breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why did you elect to cower in a corner?" DiZ said, maintaining his composed air.

"I...I was..." Namine began, but her face fell before she could even make the words.

"You were what? Scared? Laughable," DiZ said, and moved over to Riku. "Remember that Sora is everything. Without him, everything will crumble. Everything for Sora, right?"

"Everything for Sora," Namine mumbled.

"Do not hesitate to break the next one who enters here," DiZ said, flipping Riku onto his back and checking his pulse and vitals  
"B-but I-"  
"Enough. I don't want to hear about your supposed inhibitions. Just do what must be done," DiZ said, waving her off. Riku's breathing was shallow, the rise and fall of his chest almost imperceptible. Namine stared at his limp body for a while, trying to shove thoughts of the last person she broke out of her mind, before she finally managed to work out a coherent thought.

"What... what do you think he's doing here?" Namine asked.

"I can only speculate," DiZ said, and his body began to levitate. "For now, I suppose we shall just await his awakening and ask him then."

"And... if he doesn't want to answer?" Namine said, staring at the floating boy, who just minutes ago had been ready to unleash his malice on Castle Oblivion.

"...I'll do what must be done," DiZ repeated, walking back down to the basement he had come from. Riku floated along behind him and the two of them disappeared in the white light as the gates shut behind them, leaving Namine back to the sleeping boy in the pod. The silence settled back in, but there was a lingering electricity in the air, an excited charge.

"Well, Sora... where were we?" Namine said, going back to the pad and trying to restore her former concentration, though she was considerably shaken. Had Riku not recognized her? Was Riku being afflicted by Ansem again, or had he been channeling his own darkness? And then, the way DiZ so candidly denounced her false feelings. She knew he was right, but... why couldn't he just let her lie to herself a little? Too many questions, swimming in her head. She set the notebook down and held her head, looking up at Sora wistfully.

"All too confusing Sora," Namine said, smiling wryly at the sleeping boy, drawing her knees to her chest. For a few more moments, she stared and let the rhythm of her breathing and the newly balanced atmosphere calm her. She sighed contentedly. But all of a sudden, she started a bit and snatched up the notebook.

There was no time for relaxation. No time for distractions. No time for DiZ. No time for Riku. And, most of all, no time for herself. This was her mistake, and her responsibility. She had to fix it. As soon as possible.

* * *

Riku woke in a cold sweat, surrounded by white walls. His cloak had been stripped off and tossed in a corner, leaving him in his old yellow sleeveless shirt and baggy blue pants. He sat up slowly and clenched his fist.

"Ansem..." he muttered to himself. He had lost control again. His situation was getting more and more critical by the day.

He hadn't expected Ansem to just disappear after he had vanquished him in Castle Oblivion; that would have been naive, not to mention the fact that he could still sense his presence. But still, he hadn't counted on Ansem returning within a month with such a vengeance. It was strange, though. As Ansem's darkness crept through his heart, he couldn't feel... well, Ansem. None of his sinister voice or his menacing presence. Just his darkness, slowly eclipsing Riku until... until...

"It's because it's not Ansem," a deep voice said, walking into the room. Riku's head snapped up to see DiZ and he sighed.

"I thought I was done getting choices shoved on me," Riku said, wiping his face with his arm. "Wait... what do you mean it's not Ansem?"

"The reason you can't sense Ansem's presence is because Ansem is no longer there," DiZ said. "Whether or not he has been completely destroyed is questionable, but he certainly is not trying to control you right now."

"Wha... Then what the hell is happening to me?" Riku snapped, tensing up. For some reason, the fact that Ansem wasn't behind his corruption was less comforting than he would have expected.

"...Tell me, how much have you been using your dark powers since you left?" DiZ asked. Riku scowled a bit.

"I use them when they're necessary," Riku said, folding his arms. DiZ sighed crossly.

"How often is that?" DiZ said, but waved his hand as Riku opened his mouth. "Have their been any particularly trying incidents or struggles recently?"

"You're going to have to be way more specific than that," Riku said, rolling his eyes. He and Mickey had done more fighting than he cared to think about in the past month. They'd even had a run in with one of those Organization members... some idiot with a guitar or something. He summoned up a few water clones and ran away the instant he and Mickey had tried to hit him.

"...This would be an incident where you had used up your strength but suddenly received a second wind... a great dark power that would arise when you needed it most," DiZ said.

Riku scowled again and closed his eyes. Yes... yes, there was an event somewhat like that. He and Mickey had been fighting a particularly frustrating heartless. A beastly creature in that idiot Captain Hook's world. It had managed to knock Mickey unconscious with a sneak attack, and Riku had been unable to successfully fend it off while defending his friend. He suffered several critical hits, but... whenever he was struck, the wound would stop hurting in seconds, and he could feel his body mending itself. After both he and the creature had been sufficiently worn down, he unleashed an onslaught that he knew was not within his ability. As a matter of fact, that was when he had decided to return to Castle Oblivion. He had said his farewell to Mickey, promising to meet again, but he knew that Ansem's darkness was still lingering inside him, and such an outburst was not something he could burden the King with. He would return to Castle Oblivion and find his answers, while Mickey would take care of his affairs at his own Castle before continuing his own quest across the worlds.

Since that departure, Riku had been plagued by Ansem's darkness. It threatened to break free at every movement he made, and it took every ounce of his concentration and focus to suppress it.

"There... has been something like that..." Riku mumbled a bit. DiZ sighed deeply, as though he were the burdened one.

"It seems your own darkness has become complicated by Ansem's darkness," DiZ said, nodding his head a bit. Riku stared back for a moment, before rolling his eyes.

"Elaborate, please," he said, in mock interest.

"When you called upon your own dark powers you unconsciously called upon Ansem's dark powers to refuel your own. Even though his consciousness is still recovering, you managed to absorb his powers."

"So I... stole some of his power and made it my own?" Riku said, raising an eyebrow. "Well... what does that mean? Is Ansem going to take over my body again?"

"On the contrary," DiZ said, walking over to the far wall. "If you continue down this path, you will completely rob Ansem of all his powers. His existence will cease and he will disappear completely."

"...What? That's amazing! So if I use up all his power he-"

"However, if you release all of his powers, you will become him."

"...What?"

"Your heart has a strong light in it. Strong enough to withstand even Ansem's darkness. But your own darkness is still young, and it was originally born from Ansem's influence. His darkness will overtake your own. Thus your form will become a hybrid. Your light shall be retained, and thus, your consciousness. But your darkness and power will take the form of Ansem... and so will you."

Riku sucked in his breath and hunched over, his eyes unfocusing.

"So... the more I use my powers... the closer I get to Ansem?"

"That is the basic idea."

Riku cradled his head with both hands, covering his face and shaking his head, his silver hair tussling back and forth. "I can't believe this..."

"As I said, you would retain your consciousness. Your dark powers would mature immensely, and Ansem would completely disappear from your heart. It's not as if such a transformation would be without benefits. You might honestly consider-"

"I won't become him!" Riku snapped, slamming his fist down on the cold table, the dull thud echoing. His blue eyes blazed angrily as he stared down at DiZ who received it coolly.

"No need for such outbursts. It seems rather petty to let things such as appearance hinder yourself, though."

"I won't become him," Riku repeated, looking away, a bit abashed but grimly determined. "I won't."

"It's of no concern to me," DiZ said, his gaze lingering. He sighed and folded his hands behind his back. "But why have you returned here?"

"Not for your company, that's for sure," Riku said, but his cockiness faded. "I... A month ago, I told you I was taking the way to the dawn. That I would brave the dark for the light. But I... I can't lose myself. Never again. That's why I came here. To retrace my steps. To put any doubts to rest." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess this was the wrong place to come to. Now it's nothing but questions..."

"Hm..." DiZ grunted, half in agreement, half in thought. For a moment, his eyes closed as he mulled something over in his mind. Then he looked up at Riku.

"I have a proposition for you." Riku looked up from his self pity, regarding DiZ with some caution.

"Such as?" Riku said.

"You need help controlling your darkness. If you are truly adamant on not becoming him, then you will need my assistance. I might even be able to devote some time to developing a permanent remedy for your situation," DiZ said.

"And in return, I..." Riku said, still wary.

"You work alongside me. Skilled though I am, I am no warrior. And while Namine has certain powers as a witch, she is no more a fighter than me. With you, we have a valuable element for both protection and more... menial tasks."

"What am I helping you do?" Riku said. DiZ sighed, a bit frustrated.

"Our overarching goal is to halt Organization XIII's plans and mount a counterattack. And the first step is reviving Sora, a pursuit I think you are already invested in."

Riku eyed DiZ. There was something chilling in his words or the way he said them, like a snake hissing behind a veil of smoke.

"Why? What's your investment in awaking Sora? What's your investment in any of this?"

"I think I have indulged more than enough of your questions. I offer you my services, not my life story. Do you accept?"

Riku grimaced and looked upon his situation with wry humor. Here was another decision, thrust upon him. It sounded like a wonderful opportunity, naturally. He would be moving slowly away from Ansem's influences and, at the same time, be atoning for his past mistakes by helping Sora. But he couldn't help but think of the last time he had bargained with a mysterious figure in order to "save" a friend who had been forced into slumber. The similarities were eerie. He couldn't just jump in unawares. That would be such a Sora thing to do... leap at the chance to help someone without a second thought, no thought for the possible consequences...

But maybe, right now, that's what he needed. He had gone his way and been lead astray. Maybe, right now, it would be much smarter to take a page from Sora's book. His own book had taken a disastrous turn. Maybe, if he just acted a little more like Sora, he wouldn't have made all those mistakes.

It was time he stopped running from those mistakes. He owed it to Sora. And he knew Sora would own up to his debts, regardless of the danger.

"I'm in," Riku said, standing up from the table. "I'll do what I can."

"That you will," DiZ said, turning his back on him, and moving to leave the room.

"Wait... what am I supposed to do now?" Riku said, looking on confused.

"I don't have an assignment prepared for you at the moment, nor have I had ample time to develop a solution to your problem. Go find a way to occupy yourself until I have completed one or the other. You may take any floor or room you desire. My lab is in the 12th basement. Namine's room is on the 13th floor, though you are more likely to find her on the first floor, where Sora is sleeping."

Riku bit his lip, trying to decide whether or not it was an appropriate time to see Sora, only to see a last glimpse of red as DiZ exited the floor. He sat for a moment in silence before finally deciding he might as well.

* * *

He pushed open the doors to see Namine laboring over her drawings. As they creaked and groaned, Namine froze, her eyes wide. Riku stopped halfway through entering, almost equally alarmed by her reaction. There was a long moment of tense silence, almost reminiscent of their earlier meeting, though Riku was unable to make the comparison.

"Hi," he finally managed. Was she always that pale?

"Hi," she replied, before turning back to Sora and scribbling some more. Riku turned his head to look upon the sleeping form of his friend. He remembered blacking out in the room. And seeing Kairi... no, it had been Namine. He had been unhinged in this room. No wonder she seemed so frightened.

"Hey, I..." Riku started, but found himself unable to finish. What? He was sorry? What was any of that going to do to reassure her?  
"DiZ is working on a way to help me... prevent those kinds of things from happening," Riku said, a bit sheepishly. Namine turned her head, regarding him as a real person for the first time.

"You're going to be working with us from now on?"

"Uh... yeah. How did you know?" Riku asked.

"Everything comes at a price," Namine said, shaking her head, blonde hair swaying softly around her blue eyes. "Good luck. You'll be lucky to survive."

"Beg your pardon?" Riku said, trying to make sure he heard her right. Namine looked back at him seriously.

"I said 'You'll be lucky to survive.'"

"What? No, I got that. I mean-"

"Look, I really need to keep working."

"Oh." Riku may have still been adjusting to his new surroundings, but he couldn't help but feel that nobody really wanted him around. "Uh... sorry. I'll leave."  
He stole one last glance at Sora's sleeping form. A swell of emotion rose in his chest but he quelled it. Now wasn't the time. He turned around and exited the floor, leaving the blonde haired girl and his best friend behind him.  
_What have I gotten myself into?_ Riku thought to himself.

* * *

_A slow intro, but setting the stage is important. I hope that those of you reading stick with me long enough to get to future chapters where I hope to get more experimental._  
_On the note of speed and future chapters, as a college first year, my time is limited. How frequently I update will be dependent on the amount of feedback I receive. If there are a lot of people who are looking for more, I'll update faster. If not, it'll probably slip my mind a bit more. So... incentive to review._  
_Criticism is welcomed, as long as you have some suggestions as to improving my writing or remedying the situation._  
_And... yeah. Let's cut this Author's Note short before it gets excessively long._  
_Anybody else excited for KH 1.5 Remix?_


	2. The Dusk

Chapter 2: The Dusk

**I don't try to describe the future. I try to prevent it. - Ray Bradbury**

It was unbearable.

From the white ceiling to the white floor to the white walls to the white flower pots, the sheer emptiness of the castle drove Riku to the brink of insanity.

_Never thought a castle this big would have so little to do _Riku thought with a hint of wry humor. The boredom seemed to be trying to suffocate and smother him from the outside.

He'd been there for a little over a week now, he thought. Time was beginning to blur. Every so often, he'd step outside and walk down the path for some fresh air and a quick skirmish here and there with the local Heartless, but he knew better than to exert himself when his heart was in such a delicate state and there wasn't much fun in picking fights with weaklings and creatures that he knew he could defeat without blinking. He tried desperately to make it exciting by fighting with his left hand, by only using thrusts, but he could hardly distract himself. The white noise of of laziness was drowning all the excitement from his life.

"Even the islands were better than this," Riku muttered under his breath as he walked forward, his hands in the pockets of the Organization cloak he was wearing. His boots echoed softly around the empty halls. He pushed open the doors and sighed inwardly.

"O-Oh. Um-"

"Yeah, hi," Riku said, cutting Namine off abruptly and walking over to one side of Sora's pod, resting his back against the wall, folding his arms, and practically glaring at his sleeping friend.

For all his complaints, the actual castle wasn't the main problem. It sure as hell wasn't helping, but what was really crawling under his skin was the way the two inhabitants were treating him. They were both enigmas, which was annoying enough in and of itself; Riku had dealt with enough shady types to have acquired a certain distaste for plotters and people who felt the need to conceal themselves.

But it was the way they reacted to him, specifically, that really drove him insane.

DiZ was an enigma and he knew it. He reveled in it. Like a child dancing around shouting "You can't catch me!" as he eluded Riku's every question and attempt to understand him. He delighted in talking to Riku in riddles and forcing him into situations that made him feel uncomfortable or incompetent.

And that was when Riku could get a decent conversation out of him. The vast majority of their encounters revolved around DiZ casually disregarding Riku's concerns and questions, all with a haughty air about him. Riku wasn't in the habit of being treated as a nuisance or a bother, and he didn't particularly care for the treatment now.

More than that, Riku had listened attentively to DiZ's careful explanation of his plans, of the necessity of Sora's awakening, of the existence of the Organization, hours and hours of procedure and conduct, and yet, after over a week, not a thing had been said about Riku controlling his darkness. Every day was spent in paranoia, every pang and flutters of his heart set off the alarms and Riku would have to abruptly stop, his eyes stricken with fear, and focus deeply, controlling his darkness. He had done it once in the middle of saying something to DiZ, and the old bastard had just left the room after a few moments, going to talk to Namine, as though it were just a trifle.

Namine...

Riku never would have suspected it from the few minutes he had spoken to Namine - hell, he wouldn't have suspected it just by looking at Namine- but Namine was actually irritating him more than DiZ.

DiZ callously disregarded Riku. Riku was used to that. Riku had had enemies before. Riku had been part of Maleficent's Council. Had been her right hand man. All of them, Jafar, Oogie Boogie, Hades, Captain Hook... they had all written him off as a weak-hearted pawn... especially Captain Hook. Riku didn't care much about that. It gave him a chip on his shoulder, gave him a chance to prove them wrong and show them up. He could handle that.

But Namine... every time he stepped into the room, she just gaped at him. She looked frightened of him. And it was maddening.

He glanced over at her and rolled his eyes, exasperated. Sure enough, she was still going on drawing, but obviously distressed. Her grip on her crayon was tight and she was stealing worried half glances at Riku, like she was checking on a dangerous prisoner.

_I mean, I guess I understand_ Riku thought to himself. _I nearly went berserk on her... but...it's been a week, already and... ugh... I'm not a... monster..._

But even as Riku tried to hold on to his viciousness, it faded and was filled with a numb pain in his stomach and a lump in his throat. What right did he have to say that he wasn't a monster? He had one foot in the door. That was why he hated being in the same room as Namine. DiZ made him angry - Namine made him depressed.

_Sora... _Riku thought, as he looked on at his best friend, his expression bleaker than before. _What should I do? I can't prove I'm different if no one gives me the chance... I can't fix my mistakes if nobody lets me... What should I do?_

* * *

Namine continued to scrawl along her page.  
**Snap!**  
The second crayon in a row had split on the page. She set it down gingerly, brushing off her hands, and took a deep breath. She glanced once more at Riku, before focusing again on her work. It wasn't enough that the comfort of her work zone was being disrupted; it was being disrupted by Riku. She knew as well as anyone that he wasn't a bad person. But he was dangerous. That was a fact that remained for the time being.

But beyond that, she couldn't concentrate on Sora's memories with Riku in the room. It was like Riku's commanding presence stole from her connection with Sora and filled the room with an angry white noise.

She was trying to make the adjustment to having a new member, but Riku seemed so aloof all the time. She wondered if DiZ was giving him lessons on that as well.  
She was contemplating the best course of action of politely asking him to leave her to her work, when the tense atmosphere was stressed by DiZ's arrival. Namine stood up quickly, feeling strangely pressured by having even more people in the room. Riku stole a glance to confirm that it was DiZ and then made a point of not looking away from Sora.

"U-Um, what is-"

"Riku, come with me. We have things to discuss," DiZ said. Namine looked away, more embarrassed than anything else, and returned to her sketch pad, where she tried to refocus herself.

"What things?" Riku said, looking at DiZ with a certain degree of animosity. DiZ blew it off like a speck of dust.

"I have your first mission prepared for you," DiZ said. Riku just continued staring at DiZ, seeing if he could make the bandages on his face ignite if he stared long and hard enough. DiZ sighed and relented.

"I will also teach you the first steps in controlling your darkness," DiZ said, turning so that his red cloak swished across the white floors of Castle Oblivion. He paused for a moment and then decided. "Before your mission."

Riku finally uncrossed his arms and moved to follow DiZ. As he moved to the stairs leading into the basement, he turned around to take a final glance at Sora. On the way, his glance caught with Namine's.

For a moment, the room fell back into the deathly silent atmosphere that had previously dominated it, as both parties struggled to find footing.

"Um... good-" Namine tried.

"Yeah, whatever," Riku said, fed up, turning on his heel and slamming the gates behind him.

Namine watched him leave and, for some reason, felt even more distressed as the note of the doors slamming shut hung in the air. No matter how hard she tried to overcome her anxieties, everybody seemed to be all too eager to put her back in her place.

And the seeds of that human emotion anger took root inside her. She shook her head, letting her blonde hair wave back and forth, before attending to her job. This was the place she belonged in. She didn't need Riku or DiZ to tell her that.

"So, what's the secret?" Riku asked, scanning around DiZ's computer room. The array of wires and screens was nothing short of impressive. But it wasn't of particular interest to Riku; just a random assortment of colors and numbers. Riku had only two concerns, and they were awakening Sora and controlling his darkness.

"Secret? There is no secret," DiZ said, looking at Riku dead in the eye. "There is only acceptance and vigilance."

"Know that the darkness is there and don't give in," Riku said, folding his arms across his chest again, returning DiZ's gaze. "I've already done that."

DiZ's hollow chuckle came out slowly, with each condescending breath exaggerated in Riku's mind.

"Young boy," DiZ said, still smiling, a bit sad and a bit sadistic. "You have said that you would accept the darkness and that you wouldn't be afraid. Saying and doing are very different things."

"Fine, you're going to teach me how to accept my darkness?" Riku said, raising an eyebrow. "Then give it to me straight. Just tell me how to do it."

DiZ looked at Riku, slightly amused, and then held up a few wires.

"In truth, most of this process is largely based on personal experience. I've very little data to provide evidence of its success or actually draw a cause-effect relationship. I would like to monitor you during these... exercises."

"Fine," Riku said, strapping the wires as DiZ calmly instructed him where to place each one. Riku resisted the urge to scratch one of them. They were more annoying than he would have originally thought.

"Now... I want you to close your eyes."

Riku took a deep breath and obeyed. The white walls and blue lights of the computer faded and Riku was left in blackness.

"Dive into your heart... don't focus on your heart. Focus on its very core, its essence and project your soul there. Essentially, try and reach out and claim its essence."

Riku's brow furrowed as he attempted to follow DiZ's instructions. It was a bunch of abstract conjectures, and not all of them were making sense.

"No, no. You're focusing on the heart. You need to focus on yourself and place yourself within your heart. You're trying to turn yourself inside out."

"I'm not focusing on my heart," Riku said, his face scowling a bit as he tried to drown out everything but his heartbeat.

"Yes, you are. You shouldn't have to fight for it. Let your heart expand and envelop you," DiZ said.

"You're not making any sense," Riku said, gritting his teeth. Cold beads of sweat were forming and slowly dripping down his face. His fists were balled and his muscles were straining.

"You're not trying to make sense of it," DiZ countered. "Stop talking. You're just hitting your head against a wall right now because you're scared to see what's on the other side of it."

"I'm... not scared," Riku grunted, obviously distressed.

"Then prove it," DiZ said, a bit fiercer, his impatience beginning to show. "Dive. Into. Your. Heart."

As Riku struggled on, he finally relented. He wasn't afraid, that much he knew, but maybe he was going about this the wrong way. Slowly, tentatively, he let go of his angry drive.

Almost immediately, Riku felt a rush of cold, like ice in his veins and a whipping breeze slicing across his slick face. He felt his stomach sink, like was falling into infinity.  
Then a sudden halt, one that scrambled his insides. His breathing was sharp and heavy and his heart was pounding. His mind was a bit fuzzy and his focus seemed to be waning as his panic grew, every passing second.

_How did I get here!?...Where... is here?_ Riku thought to himself, sickly. He looked around, greeted only by blackness. But this was different from when he had merely close his eyes. The blackness around him seemed endless, like an eternal void that was his prison.  
But more than that... the void seemed like it was... alive... all around him, breathing, watching, prowling, glaring, stalking him.  
Riku turned to look around himself, greeted by the darkness at every turn. He tried to wade forward, but there was no way of telling whether his wild lurches moved him at all. He clutched his head and tried to curl into a ball and disappear.  
Then the void seemed to rush inwards toward him, collapsing into him. Breathing became difficult and pure, primal fear filled his very being and soul. He could swear his heart had stopped, and in an act of desperation, he let loose a bloodcurdling scream born from his tournament.

As he shot up straight, his scream echoed off the blank walls of Castle Oblivion. He had fallen to his knees, his face dripping with sweat and his breathing and heartbeat were frenzied. The computer or whatever instrument Riku was wired to was putting out all manner of sounds that were just as frenzied. A deep shame filled Riku, and he used what little strength he had to tear the wires off his body. He looked up with weak scorn at DiZ who looked down at him with all the power in the world.

"That... is what you have to accept," DiZ said, with a hint of smugness. Riku closed his mouth and tried to push himself back up. Instead, he ended up falling back and sitting against the wall. Had his head just hit the wall? He had no way of knowing. He took deep breaths in through his nose, trying his best to calm himself and forget the ordeal he had just suffered.

"Do not forget that," DiZ said, his words sharps as any blade Riku had felt. "Memorize it. Think of it every night as you sleep. Be ever conscious of it. You cannot ignore your darkness, or it will bury a knife in your back."

"Easy for... you... to... say," Riku said, between deep gasps. DiZ stopped for a moment and took it upon himself to glare down at Riku some more.

"Yes. Yes it is," he said, and Riku clamped his mouth shut. For a moment, both men said nothing, just lingering in the moment before DiZ finally continued.

"You know the darkness is there now. Now all you have to do is stare into that abyss without so much as flinching. You can't just put on a mask either. You have to completely eradicate all fear of that darkness. Or else you won't just lose your body; you'll lose your heart and mind as well."

"Brilliant," Riku said, looking down. It wasn't that he had expected it to be easy. But this was the worst possible experience possible. It was the culmination of everything that he hated and feared and so much more.

"Darkness will feed off your desperation. It will tempt you with gifts and promises in order to lure you into the abyss. When you're need is most dire is when you must stand strongest. But then, you already knew that," DiZ said, and Riku could feel himself slowly but surely beginning to hate DiZ.

There was another pause as Riku nodded an affirmative and slowly picked himself up. He was half ready to leave and call it a night or maybe even a week when DiZ began launching into the details of his mission.

"Wait, what?" Riku said, rubbing his eye with one hand and feebly waving for attention with the other. DiZ paused, seeming a bit confused himself.

"Your first assignment. Or was the experience so traumatizing that you can't remember back twenty minutes?"

"Ah..." Riku said, trying to find a retort, but there wasn't one. Had it really only been twenty minutes?

"As I was saying, while we know of the Organization and we know that they are plotting something, we have yet to find what their exact plan is. As a warrior and fighter of darkness who wears their cloak, you stand the best chance of gathering information from them."

"So, you want me to infiltrate?" Riku said, raising an eyebrow.

"Something of that sort. I want you to visit worlds as they visit them and try to uncover information about their activities," DiZ said.

"Why can't I just enter their stronghold? I'm wearing their cloak. That should hide me, right?" Riku said, furrowing his brow.

At this, DiZ laughed loud and heartily. Riku's face flushed red and he took an involuntary step backwards.

"My dear boy," DiZ said, once the laughter had subsided, though a full smile still rested on his face. "Regardless of what you may think of me, I am not so cruel as to send you to your death. You stand absolutely no chance against the Organization, especially in their stronghold."

"I- Kh-..." Riku stammered, but DiZ just cut him off.

"Their castle is far too close to the darkness. I'm not about to send somebody who's afraid of their own shadow down to that realm to fight," DiZ said, taking a more serious tone. Riku just looked away, flustered and wounded.

"A-And if I see one of their members on this... mission?" Riku said, his eyes flitting between the floor and DiZ.

"Do not engage them," DiZ said. "Perhaps this isn't clear to you Riku, but you are very weak at the moment. Your heart is fragile. I wouldn't trust you to fight against Namine as you are now. You need to learn to crawl before you can walk, so I suggest you stop complaining and swallow that overbearing pride you've acquired and get moving, boy."

Riku wasted no time in leaving the room, slamming the door so hard the computer screens behind him rattled.  
Riku strode into the room, walking up to the pod without giving Namine a moment of his attention. He placed his hand on the pod and closed his eyes.

_I'm going now, Sora. Just focus on waking up._

"-that he gave you?"

"Huh?" Riku said, opening his eyes and looking at Namine from the corner of his eyes. She seemed a bit more... open.

"I said, what's the mission that DiZ gave you?" she asked again. Riku looked at her a bit longer before answering.

"He wants me to spy on the Organization," Riku said, looking back at his hand on the pod and then to Sora.

"Oh," she said. "That's a dangerous mission."

Riku's teeth clenched and his gloved fingers rubbed against the pod.

"Oh yeah. Very dangerous. That's been made very clear," he said.

_I didn't say anything. Why is he so angry?_ Namine thought to herself. _I'm the one who should be angry... well... I guess not but... why is he so angry?_

For a moment, Riku just remained there, hunched slightly with his hand and gaze resting on Sora's resting place, as if he were trying to get through the pod to say something to Sora. Then, he suddenly straightened, as if realizing something.

"Wh-What? What is it?" Namine said, afraid that he had sensed something. Riku's eyes shifted from rage to sheer determination. Slowly, his hand lifted from Sora's pod and he turned to fully face Namine.

"Namine... do you know where the Organization's base is?"

* * *

Riku stood quietly at the edge of the castle, looking up at the ominous white fortress regarding it with a certain degree of awe.  
DiZ hadn't been lying when he said that it was close the darkness. Riku could sense it, almost as if it were surrounding the world but never entering, just waiting patiently for the fall. He could also sense his own darkness trying to reach out, but he forcibly suppressed it.

"See? No problem," Riku said, once he was sure he had stamped out its rebellious nature. He looked back at the castle and drew his hood over his head, making a silent dash. Once he had made his way through the dark city, he found himself looking out over an infinite chasm, separating him from the levitating fortress. A shining bridge rose to close the gap, but Riku decided against it.

_Just because I'm doing this to stick it to DiZ doesn't mean I have to be stupid about it _Riku thought, opening a dark portal with a wave of his hand. He stepped through it confidently...

* * *

...And appeared in a graveyard of sorts.  
For a moment he just looked around, intrigued by his surroundings, by the rolling blue and red mist that seemed to twist and dance but never mix.  
Then his body lurched forward of its own accord and he fell to a knee. His hand instinctively rushed to his chest clawing and tightening as his heart pulsed pain throughout his body.

"Oh... crap..." Riku said, his eyes wincing in pain as the darkness pervaded him. He had felt like this once before. On the brink of destruction, like his heart was about to burst. That was when he had given himself to Ansem.

"Dammit," Riku said, his eyes snapping shut as another wave of pain wracked him. In the darkness that came he could see DiZ's face, smiling and shaking his head as if to say "I told you so." Namine was cowering behind him.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Riku muttered, bracing himself against the pain. Slowly but surely he rose to his feet. "Like hell I'm going to just sit back and let it take over."

His eyes snapped open and he forced his darkness back to the deepest corner of his heart. The pain receded until there was just a numb ache in his chest. He took a deep breath and relaxed his tightened muscles.

"Now... what is this place?" Riku said, inspecting the tombstones. Though stones wasn't the right word. They looked like doorways... or keyholes. About half of them were blue while the other half was red.

"The... Flurry of Flames?" he said, reading one of them. It had two chakrams on it. "The Luna Diviner? What is this all about?"

He moved over to one of the red panels and bent over to read it as well. It had been damaged to the point where he couldn't even see a weapon. "The Cloaked Schemer..."

He went on inspecting the tombs until something strange caught his eye. One of the blue panels, in the far corner.

"What the hell?" Riku said, looking it over with alarm. "The... Key of Destiny?" Carved into the panel was two keys, crossed with each other. "What is this supposed to mean?"

"It means you and Sora are now of trivial value to us," a man said, his voice even and calm. Riku whipped around, alarmed, drawing his Soul-Eater.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you try making sense for a change," Riku said, drawing his hood back. "What are you people planning? And what are these things?"

The hooded man turned his head slowly and looked them all over slowly.

"Abominations..."

"What?" Riku said sharply.

"Nobodies... creatures that were never meant to exist. Castaway shells of another, with no proof except for their own minds."

"Does anybody not talk in riddles?" Riku said, as it became more apparent that the cloaked man across from him was having a conversation with the air.

"This is our validation. Our... proof of existence," the man said, drawing his hood back to reveal long blue hair and a cross shaped scar just above his nose.

"So... what? These panels represent the members of the Organization? Then what the hell is that last one?" Riku spat, growing increasingly tense and aware of his situation.

The blue haired man opened his mouth but another black cloak stepped in, staring down at Riku from the darkness of his cloak.

"Saix... that's enough," the voice said, cool and cold. Saix scoffed a bit and tilted his head ever so slightly.

"What does it matter? It's not as if this... reject from the shadows poses any threat," Saix said, waving his hand out as if he could brush Riku aside. The other cloaked man grabbed Saix's arm and lowered it.

"Eliminate... the intruder," he stated, slowly. Saix snarled and drew his hand back. Riku tensed and waited, his own blade ready.

"Hey," Riku said, as the other cloaked man moved to leave. "You must pretty high on the pecking order to just order others around like that. Why don't you stick around so I can take you out next?"

"...Don't overestimate yourself, boy. Saix is right; you pose no threat."

"...So what you're saying is," Riku said, crouching low. He dashed forward, drawing his sword arm back. "That you'd rather be first!?" He swung his dark blade across, aiming to slash open the man's chest.

But it never reached. The blade just stopped mid swing, meeting some unexpected barrier which deflected his attack and laid his chest bare for the enemy.  
The cloaked man turned just slightly, and beneath the veil of darkness Riku could clearly see a devilish glint.  
"Such foolishness."

_Oh fu-_Riku thought as a set of six lances appeared and converged on him. Riku twisted slightly to avoid being killed on the spot, but the damage was done. He was slashed open and a blast of wind sent him flying back to the far wall by a blast of wind. He crumpled to his knees, clutching his left arm which was torn and bloody.

"Finish the job, Saix," the cloaked man said, leaving through a portal. Saix smirked for a moment and then settled into an even expression of judgment as his claymore appeared above his head.

"How pathetic," Saix said holding the giant blade above his head with one arm, like the executioner preparing to swing. "Don't worry. Sora and Kairi will join you soon. I'm sure they'll forgive such a dismal failure. They seem the type."

"You son of a-" Riku said, growing furious but Saix shoved him flat on his back with a swift kick.

As he was flung back against the cold floor the world around him began to fade and blur and any words that Saix might have wanted to add word drowned out by a torrential silence that drowned everything but the steady beat of Riku's heart.

_No way does it end here. I'm going to protect them... no matter what!_ Riku thought, his eyes glowing with resolve.

And, not a moment later, that familiar pool of darkness formed beneath him, climbing over his cloaked, slithering under it.

"...What is this?" Saix said, still not quite interested. "Some last resort effort? I'd be amused if I had the capacity. Goodbye."

The claymore swung down, a great sweeping arc like a star was descending to strike Riku's head from his shoulders.

But instead, Riku immediately flipped over and held let his blade rest naturally on his shoulder, stopping the swing of the greatsword short.

"Where did this strength come from?" Saix said, but in one motion Riku had twisted and trapped the claymore between his Soul-Eater and the ground. Before Saix could make a snide comment, Riku repaid him for the kick he had received shortly before. The shadows gathered on his boot and sent Saix skidding back.

Riku hulked over, staring at Saix with the pose of a predator, the black mist trailing off his body. He blinked a few times, his eyes flashing yellow for a moment before returning to their usual aquamarine.

"...Interesting..." Saix said, and rushed forward, swinging the claymore for Riku's legs who pounced up, folding his knees into a sort of aerial crouch. Once he was assured that the claymore wouldn't reach him, he shifted and lunged forward with his sword arm, aiming straight for Saix's eye. Saix twisted to avoid the attack, but the sharp burst of air that accompanied it still shot straight through his hair.

Saix landed lightly on his feet and sighed.

"Well... this is certainly something. I might even have to reconsider your worth as an asset to our..." Saix said, slowly turning to face Riku. He was met with a blast of violet blue fire to the face.

"... Don't get cocky," Saix snarled, holding half of his face as Riku pounced for another attack, a twisted sneer playing across his lips as he aimed another thrust. Abruptly, Saix relinquished his hold on his weapon as he and it began to rise in the air, a circle of blue light enveloping them both and reflecting off the tips of the blade.

As Riku moved through the air towards Saix, his blade and body passed clean through Saix, like he was just a phantom or a ghost. The blade and its wielder continued to rise until a blue flash illuminated the graveyard. Saix landed, surrounded by an angry blue glow. Riku tensed as he watched the man that now shared his beastly nature, but he had moved before any reaction was possible, the blade tore open Riku's abdomen and its companion shockwave sent Riku flying again, and he collapsed on the floor.

Saix's chest heaved as the blue glow trailed and evaporated and he straightened.

"To think I'd have to to unleash that side to defeat you," Saix said, clutching his Lunatic and walking forward so that it dragged behind him. "Indeed, we should reconsider your worth."

The moment Saix's feet stopped, Riku had lashed out and grabbed onto his ankle in a vice grip. The darkness swelled around him again and his hair began to fly around wildly.

"What? This is ridiculous," Saix said, but, try as he might, he couldn't shake his leg free and Riku was beginning to stand. From a kneeling position, he looked up, his eyes shot with a brilliant yellow and his face a wicked scowl. He clutched his blade tightly in his hand and with a ominous growl, he swung upward, aiming to cut Saix open.

In a swift movement, Saix used the hilt of his weapon to smash Riku's skull. It rebounded with a dull thud, but the dazed Riku stumbled back a step. Saix seized his opening, creating a dark portal behind Riku and sent him soaring through it with a quick shockwave.  
Saix stood straight, smoothing out his cloak. As he did, he noted that his hands were ringing and his breathing was heavy.

"...You are... worth mentioning to the Superior," Saix said, collecting himself as he stepped into a portal of his own.

* * *

Riku awoke to the sound of gentle waves, lapping on the shore.

"Am I..." Riku didn't even bother finishing the question. The world around him was cold and misty, with the moon shining over head and a curious web of obsidian stone. It was nothing like Destiny Islands.

"Ugh..." he said, trying to stand, but the second he tried his vision flickered black and he fell awkwardly on his leg. Pain shot back into his body and he drew a sharp hissing breath, clutching his pounding skull. As he did he drew his hand back to find the glove slightly bloodied. He sighed and curled up. He felt oddly cold here, even under his cloak.

"Dammit... how did I get here?... I remember being skewered and then..." Riku just railed off and looked down in all his misery and shame. His darkness had bested him again. DiZ had been right. And he would have to own up to that. If not to DiZ, then to himself.

Riku groaned and covered his face. Through his fingers, he tried to inspect the world he was in, but he couldn't focus. The dark chill in the air was unnerving and the eerie crash of the waves was making him nauseous.

"I'd better get out of here," Riku said, his voice more resigned than anything else. He reached out with his mind and then opened a dark portal to Castle Oblivion. He had to wonder which of Castle Oblivion or the Organization's castle seemed more intimidating at this point.

* * *

The additional dark portal took an unexpected toll on Riku, as he felt his strength vanish as he stepped through. He tripped and fell with a solid thud, face first onto Castle Oblivion's pure white floor.

"Ngah," Riku moaned, as he licked a fresh cut on the inside of his mouth. _And here I am... licking my wounds...literally... this... sucks..._

A sudden rush of movements half caught Riku's attention but he barely had it in him to look up.  
Namine has jumped at Riku's arrival and was now cowering away from his limp room.

"R-Riku?" she asked after a minute, her voice high and broken.

_Did somebody... call my name? Ugh. Why can't the world give me a moment to sort this out..._Riku thought, pushing himself up a bit so that his weight was on his forearm. He looked at Namine past half-closed eyes, his face and body bloodied

"I-I'll call DiZ," Namine stammered out, making for the door.

"Wait!" Riku called, suddenly awakened by the statement. "Don't tell him... just... help me to my room. It's just a floor up."

"Ah- I... I shouldn't I-" Namine said, clearly starting to panic. Riku had a heavy scent of darkness about him. It was intoxicating and it was frightening.

"Namine..." Riku said, doing his best to convey his need. "Please..."

Namine was frozen on the spot, torn between the door just at her side and the broken Riku, begging her from the floor. She should go to DiZ. DiZ was much more aware of Riku's situation and was probably more adept at medicine and healing than she was. And there was the fact that Riku was still unstable. She should go to DiZ.

Still... something about his gaze, the eyes of a proud warrior pleading like a child that kept her rooted to the spot. As glassy as his eyes seemed, every ounce of his fear and shame was pouring out of them, like true windows to his heart.

But she spent too long thinking, and the expression shifted to an embarrassed frown, the feeling in his eyes shifting to an icy resolve.

"Fine. Do whatever," Riku snapped, and began pushing himself to his feet. One of his arms had been stabbed and was nearly useless to him. Namine was yelping something awful in the background but Riku was done.

_I don't need Namine... I don't need DiZ. I just need me. Myself. And I. My strength. That's all._Riku thought as he shakily rose to an upright position. He took a few short breaths and took a step forward... only to roll his ankle and stumble forward.

_Oh, for the love of-_Riku thought as he fell forward for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

But before he could strike the ground again, he felt his body collapse on to something noticeably softer and warmer.

"Y-You..." Namine said, holding him up, very clearly flustered. Riku took a moment to realize what was happening and quickly pushed himself back and stood on his own feet again shooting a quick glare at her.

"I'm fine," he said, and pushed past her without a second glance, his shoulder bumping against hers as he slowly but surely pulled himself up to his room, where he immediately collapsed on his bed. Sleep came slowly as well, and he spent what seemed like an eternity wallowing in his pain and shame and fear. It was safe to say that this first mission was a failure.

Namine rubbed her shoulder as he brushed by. He had barely touched her. Was he really that weak? It felt like a butterfly has landed on her shoulder. She shook her head, ridding it of any feelings of remorse. She had helped him and been repaid in scorn. She was going straight to DiZ. Riku had been reckless and had endangered everyone in more ways than one. DiZ would have to straighten him out.

She stole one last glance at the spot where he had fallen, where a few splotches of dried blood stuck to the white floor and at the stairs he had dragged himself up before she turned and descended into the castle.

* * *

"Why did you leave him alive, exactly?" Xaldin said, his arms folded as he looked down at Saix. "Are you telling me that you couldn't kill a boy I had served to you on a silver platter?"

"This has nothing to do with that," Saix replied, his tone even but edgy. He folded his hands in his lap. "Upon further inspection, I deemed Riku a worthy asset to our purpose."

"Oh, really?" Xigbar said, lying across his throne so his head was resting on one of the armrests. "Do tell. Personally, I think you got it handed to you big time and this is your big cover up."

"Silence," a voice, cold and dark commanded from the position of authority. The owner cast his gaze around the assembled members of the Organization. "Speak, Saix."

"Riku confronted his darkness in the lower chambers of Castle Oblivion. It would seem that Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion were attempting to use him to solidify their position in the Organization by using Vexen's recent replica experiments. After that failed, it is safe to assume that Zexion attempted to awaken the dark being in his heart and use that to his advantage. That also ended in failure. But Riku still has much darkness in his heart. Riku is a strong piece- one that either side can still claim," Saix explained.

"And what makes you think Riku will come to aid our cause? The hold of the princess and the keyblade wielder far outstrips the hold of darkness," Luxord said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, true as that might be, Riku will resort to darkness when his back is against the wall. And if we give him the right push..." Saix said, even allowing himself a small smile at this point, "I think we can get him to see our side of the story. After all, we are shorthanded aren't we?"

"...Xigbar," Xemnas said, leaning back in his throne. "I think we have allowed that foolish old man to grow far too complacent. Sora's part in this story may well be over. Go delay his awakening by any means necessary."

Xigbar yawned and disappeared in a wink of darkness.

"Saix... you take whatever steps you feel are necessary. And let it be known to all members," Xemnas said. "Anyone who encounters Riku is to tempt the darkness within him." The remaining members vanished, with the last to go being Saix.

"... If you will not belong to darkness, then I suppose you will belong to nothingness," Xemnas said, opening his orange-gold eyes.

* * *

_Dear lord, that was long. But somehow I finished in like... a week or something. I'd be lying if I said I got as many reviews as I wanted, but I kinda forgot how hard it is to get reviews when you don't have any followers. Oh well. What can you do? I got quite a few hits... but I think like 7 of them are mine._

_Hopefully, this chapter was a little more exciting and gave you a bit more of a taste of what's to come. This is still just the tip of the iceberg, too. The action will get more intense and you'll actually see some decent conversations between characters. I actually finished a basic outline for this (which is absolutely unheard of from me) but it seems like this could go for like 40 or so chapters which means if I did one chapter a month, I'd be finishing college by the end of this. So I'd appreciate any reviews, just a little motivation for me to keep going. Thanks for reading._


	3. The Path Chosen

… _So I finally got one review._  
_fan: Are you still writing this on? I like it and really want to see what_  
_happens next_  
_First off, fan, you are now my favorite person. Okay, maybe not my favorite... Batman and Gary Oak are still higher. But you're definitely in the Top 10._  
_To answer your question, yes, I am still writing this, which I guess is obvious since this is a new chapter. Quick tip, you can check the update date of the story. Everybody's different, but usually if it's 3 months or less, it's safe to say they're still writing._  
_I won't bore you any longer with my desperate pleas. Let's move on with the story..._  
_Please review._

* * *

Chapter 3: The Path Chosen

**Every mind must make its choice between truth and repose. It cannot have both.** **-Ralph Waldo Emerson**

Yeah. It was fact. Riku hated her.

He hadn't had a moment's rest since he had collapsed on that bed, bloodied and distraught. She had told DiZ everything she had seen and about Riku's critical condition. It took some coaxing to convince him to even look at Riku, and when he did he just launched into an interrogation about his mission.

Namine had cringed at his harshness, but Riku just laid there, his impassive eyes cast up at the blank ceiling, hardly blinking and unflinching underneath DiZ's onslaught. He replied to every question in as few words as possible, but made no attempt to conceal his actions. DiZ was seething with rage by the end of it, and it was all Namine could do to just hope that he wouldn't smack Riku right there and then and worsen his condition.

He didn't. Instead, as he left the room he turned and said in a low, sharp voice:  
"Your impudence has set Sora's recovery back. I hope you're satisfied. I'd suggest you learn from your failures, but if your last blunders weren't enough to knock some sense into you, I suppose this is just another trifle before you continue on your own merry way."

With that, he was gone, and Riku turned over on his side to face the wall. It took all of Namine's composure to not gasp in surprise. DiZ had gone overboard, had stabbed Riku in the heart and twisted the blade.

"Um... Riku, I-"

"Just go," Riku said, his voice stable but forced.

"B-but I-"

"Why the hell are you still here?" he snapped, a bit louder and Namine ducked her head furiously, slipping out the door and leaving him to his own thoughts.

"Fuck everyone," Riku said, his fist clenching as he blinked back hot tears. "Dammit. Sorry, Sora... Kairi..."

* * *

Namine went back down to her usual abode, and gazed at Sora. It took her a moment to take up her sketchpad, but as she reached over and grasped it, she held it tentatively for a moment and then set it down. It felt wrong... or out of place, at least. Her focus... her link with Sora's memories seemed a bit shaky at the moment.

"I wonder..." she said, looking up at the sleeping boy. "Are you mad that I told DiZ, too? I really didn't know..."

For some reason, even while confessing yet another mistake to a comatosed Sora, Namine found herself smiling. Maybe because she never felt true guilt anyways, or maybe because Sora's light was that radiant.

"Well... you can't stay mad at me. You'll have to hold off until you wake up, and then you won't even remember who I am," Namine said, the wry smile breaking wider, and she shook her head, somewhat embarrassed. She reached over and picked up the pad daintily, beginning to let the colors splash across the paper again, as she drew across it.

* * *

A couple days passed, and Riku kept to his room as much as possible. Food wasn't a huge necessity for him; he suspected he had the darkness to thank for that. His wounds had begun to mend abnormally fast, also thanks to the darkness, but they still radiated pain every time he exerted himself so he left it alone as much as possible.

His emotional wounds had barely healed at all. He had honestly tried to calm himself, but every time he thought of DiZ, his blood boiled furiously and every time he thought of Namine an unpleasant chill settled in his stomach.

Mostly, he just ended up brooding over his failures and focusing on his physical therapy.

So, naturally, when Namine burst into his room, he was displeased and a bit off guard.  
"DiZ wants us both in the floor," she said, her tone distant and detached. Riku stood up abruptly and moved to his bed sifting through his stuff absently, doing his best to ignore her presence.

"Is it hot in here?" she asked, and Riku's head craned around in alarm and confusion.

"'Scuse me?" he said.

"Is it hot in here?" she repeated. "I just thought, since you're not wearing your cloak or your shirt..."

"Ah... I... J-just get out," Riku said, a bit red as he yanked on his yellow tank top and picked up his cloak. Namine's eyes narrowed a bit, but she left, wordlessly. Riku drew a deep breath and threw his cloak on, smoothing it out as it swayed softly across his body. Uncomfortable though it might have been, Namine walking in on him had at least felt somewhat normal. It would be nice if things like that happened more often. He opened the door and descended to first floor, regaining his composure with that mentality.

* * *

"So, because of our newest member's rashness-" DiZ began, barring nothing. Riku's eyes narrowed to a glare but he said nothing. "-we have been forced into a delicate situation. Now that the Organization is aware that we are collaborating, they will no doubt feel more motivated to put a halt to our plans. I expect that they will strike soon."

"What are we going to do?" Namine asked quietly. DiZ stared at her for a moment.

"We're relocating. It's dangerous to remain here in Castle Oblivion any longer than we already have," DiZ said, talking fast. "Collect the necessary provisions. We leave the moment we are ready."

"Wh-what?" Namine said in a fit of nervous excitement. "B-but how are we moving Sora-"

"I will handle all the finer points. You and Riku are to pack for the journey and leave immediately. Leave Sora to me," DiZ said. Namine looked around a bit wildly, at the white walls that had been her home for the majority of her existence.

"I... I..." she said, struggling for the words.

"How many times must I stress that you are to leave now before you take action?" DiZ said. Namine collected herself and nodded, holding her sketchpad close.

"Wait. You haven't told us where we're going yet," Riku said. His voice was dull and empty.

"We are relocating to the outskirts of Twilight Town. A small world, a little closer to the light than here, but not so far that the journey will be impractical. Namine should know the way," DiZ said. "I leave you to your own resources now. Make sure you stay in line."

He looked pointedly at Riku who altogether avoided eye contact and then turned and left, leaving the silver-haired warrior and the blonde witch alone in the white room. Namine bit her lip a bit and turned to Riku, putting on an awkward half smile.

"Well, shall we-"

"I have to do something," Riku said, turning heel and moving up the stairs. Namine's smile faltered and fell and she hugged the sketchpad to her body tighter. She should have done more to connect with Riku over the past few weeks. Now, here she was, stuck with an elderly man, embittered and vengeful, and a young boy, pained, bruised, regretful, and alienated. The only person who had or would show her any kindness was asleep, and wouldn't remember her when he awoke. She trembled ever-so-slightly and clutched the sketchpad.

No... he wasn't asleep. He was right there, between the pages of her notebook, his memories brimming with warmth and nostalgia. She closed her eyes and delved into them, allowing herself one moment to bask in their glow.

She had made a mistake with Riku... but she had acted in his best interest. She had acted in the interest of Sora and DiZ and herself, yes, but also for Riku. And if he was too stubborn to realize it, then she would let his own arrogance wash over her. She had more pressing matters to attend to.

The pages seemed to shake between her fingers for a moment, before Namine realized they were her own pale, slender fingers shaking in excitement.

She was finally going to be free of this castle. Free of the cold reminders of her slavery and isolation, of Marluxia and of Larxene. She was going out, going to experience the world beyond the memories of Sora. She looked up and opened her eyes, renewed hope sparkling in the deep blue and took off up the stairs that Riku had gone up not so long ago.

* * *

Riku strode into the room, standing across from Sora. He folded his arms and cocked his head, just staring for a moment.

"You're sleeping like an idiot, of course," Riku remarked, out loud this time. He slowly began to walk over, leisurely almost.

"You know, Namine never mentioned why you were actually in that pod. I mean, to restore your memories, sure. But she never said the real reason."

Riku's faltered for a moment, not entirely sure what he was doing but his frustration gave him confidence and he started moving closer, taking stronger steps.

"It doesn't matter. Nobody has to say anything. I'm your best friend. I know more about you than you do. I know damn well why you're in there."

He was at the pod now, staring through the glass at his best friend, sleeping so peacefully. His fist clenched and unclenched with his heartbeat and he hesitated for another moment.

_I need to say this now_ Riku thought, and he let impulse take control. His fist rose and he smashed against the glassy pod. It bounced off harmlessly, but the action gave him the momentum he needed to start his rant.

"It's because of me! It's always because of me! You got yourself stuck in this stupid pod because you were chasing after me. You chased me to this castle, you chased me to the top of it, you chased me right into this damn pod!" Riku said, his voice rising as he continued to bang his fist against the pod. It was beginning to ache numbly. He didn't care though. Didn't care at all...

The wounds from his earlier beating began to reopen and smart and sting all across his body. As the pain erupted through him, he collapsed to one knee, his breathing labored, still pounding against the pod, his hand bruised and bloody.

"Please..." Riku said, pleading at this point. "No more... I don't want anything else to be my fault... just leave it alone..."

His head bowed and he found himself kneeling before Sora's pod.

"Leave me alone... please..."

At that moment, the doors behind him burst open, and Namine rushed into the room, only to stop abruptly as Riku whipped his head around to face her. His gaze was twisted and shrouded in his pain and anger, and, try as he might, it burned in his eyes. Namine made a half gasp and spent the next long, several moment trying to shrink and disappear at the same time.

Riku turned back to face the ground just below Sora's pod before standing to his full height. He looked at his sleeping friend and closed his eyes, touching his shivering hand to the exterior.

_Goodbye... Sora..._ he thought, with all of his heart. _When you wake... I'll be gone. Count on that. And please... don't follow after me._

With that, Riku whipped around and walked straight for the exit, ignoring the growing void in his heart that hurt more than any of his wounds.

_It didn't change anything... nothing does..._

"Um... Riku, I-"

"Let's go," he said, quick and curt. If Namine had any desire to discuss what she may have seen or heard, he had no interest in hearing it. He had lived it. That was more than enough for him.

Namine's eyes narrowed and she hugged her sketchpad again, falling in step behind him. He could keep cutting her off all he wanted. If he wanted to shove her away, she would take it in stride. That's what Sora would have wanted anyway. She could practically hear him speaking from the pages and memories held in her notebook.

_Riku can be like that sometimes. You learn to live with it, after a while._

_But I don't even have to worry about that _Namine thought with some satisfaction and resolve. _After a while, we'll split ways. I only need to tolerate him for a while. Until Sora is revived. I can do that._

"Hurry up," he snapped over his shoulder as he strode outside the gates of the Castle. Namine's eyes narrowed again and she jogged to keep up with him.

… _I hope I can do that..._

* * *

"Riku, I need to rest," Namine said, her voice soft. Riku stopped and tightened his lips for a moment, apparently deciding whether to press on and push her limits or relent. Eventually, he decided to relent and allow her to rest, though his body remained tense as ever.

"Fine," he said, and walked off the dirt path into the rolling hills of green, standing idly and staring at the night sky. Namine followed after him a bit and then laid back along the soft grass. Silence settled into the evening and a calm breeze caressed her face as she stared into the night. The pages of her notepad flapped and rushed open, and Namine sat up abruptly to find herself staring at a picture she had drawn, one of Sora and Riku sparring on Destiny Islands.

_Are you trying to tell me something, Sora?_ she wondered, and turned her head to inspect the picture.

Sora stood across from Riku, clutching his wooden sword, his face shining with determination and confidence. His stance and grip were strong and ready. Her eyes slowly followed the drawing's gaze across to its target, Riku.

Riku held himself with confidence as well, but it was a different kind. Whereas Sora was confident that he could fight, Riku was confident he could win. His weight was on his back leg, and he casually egged Sora on with an arrogant smirk playing across his lips. As she allowed the memories to skirt off the paper and into the world around her she saw Riku knock Sora down, again and again and again. The whole time, Riku was laughing, but not condescendingly. He was laughing like an older brother would, helping Sora up every time and setting himself up across from Sora.

At first, Namine pursed her lips in mild irritation because it seemed that Riku was just using Sora as a practice dummy, but the more she watched him, the more she began to realize, that maybe, just maybe, there was more to Riku than that.

She watched him parry and dodge Sora's attacks one by one, occasionally sneaking in a jab or a counter to keep him on his toes, and it became all too clear. Riku could have easily taken several chances to completely crush Sora, but he didn't. In fact, she was sure that Riku had other, more effective ways to train himself which he would no doubt pursue later. But for the time being, this was Riku daring Sora to be better than he was, to give Sora, the second best, a chance to catch up to Riku.

Riku knocked him down once more and held out his small hand, lifting the young Sora up from the sand. Sora pouted and they both laughed, walking back to the boats as the sun began to set over the ocean.

Maybe this was Sora's way of trying to tell Namine there was more to Riku than she gave credit. Maybe she shouldn't become so preoccupied with his darkness and instead she should help him in his struggle against it. Maybe-

"Namine!" Riku said, sharply. Namine looked up abruptly and slammed her notebook shut.

"U-um, yes?" she asked, a bit tentatively. Riku just sighed irritably and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"...I asked if you could use any magic," he said, folding his arms. "We haven't been attacked yet, but I can sense something in the air. We should be ready."

"O-oh. Well... no... I don't really know any magic," she said, drawing her knees into her chest self-consciously. "I-I'm sorry."

"Fine," Riku said evenly. He stared at the grass for a moment longer before drawing one hand out, palm up, and conjuring an orb of dark fire in the air before him, staring deep into its core. Namine watched the flame's hypnotic dance for a moment before casting her gaze to the wielder.

"Is... is it warm?" she asked. Riku shifted his stare on to Namine.

"Ice cold," he said, his tone matching his words.

"O-Oh," was all she could muster, and Riku turned back to face the flame, seeming to force his attention on to it. Namine watched for a bit longer, but the gentle light radiating from the pages nudged her on, to take the first steps.

"U-um... Riku... about earlier... in Sora's room," Namine started, and Riku closed his hand, letting the flame vanish into wispy shadow.

"What about it?" he asked, not sure why he hadn't just ended the conversation before it began. Maybe he just wanted to lure her into a mistake so he could antagonize her... or maybe he just really wanted to talk about it to someone who could answer.

"W-well... i-it just seemed like... like you were leaving Sora. In more ways than one," Namine said, gripping the notebook tight. Riku flinched a bit, as the comment hit home.

_Like I was abandoning a puppy...I suppose it isn't far off, with Sora..._

"What gave you that idea?" he asked, folding his arms again. Namine shrugged.

"I... it just seemed that way to me. I know you pretty well from Sora's memories," she said, and Riku flinched again.

"You don't know me," he said, and looked away. Namine was a bit taken aback by the abruptness of his comment, but she was determined. For Sora.

"You still haven't denied what I said," she said. Riku sighed and shook his head.

"Look, just drop it, Namine. Pretend you didn't see me in that room," Riku said. Namine frowned deeply.

"But I did see you," she argued, and Riku's eyes widened as the irritation crawled beneath his skin.

"The operative word here is 'pretend.' I don't care what you saw or think. As long as you're around me, I don't particularly want or care for your opinion on the matter. Now kindly sh-... be quiet," Riku said, taking care not to become too belligerent.

It didn't matter; Namine fully understood the vehemence and indifference in his words, and it drove her past the breaking point.

"No."

Riku just cocked his head, his eyes half-closed and his lips in a tight line.

"Beg pardon?"

"I said no," Namine said, building steam. "I'm not going to be quiet around you anymore. You don't like listening to anything I have to say, but that's tough for you, because I'm going to say it now. You keep running around, running away from Sora, trying to do everything on your own, and after all this time, you still haven't figured out that that's the reason you've landed yourself in so much trouble in the first place? If you would just listen to him instead of doing things your way, you wouldn't have half the problems you did today. But you have to go ahead and do things your own way because who knows what kind of chaos may unfold if you actually listened to Sora and wrapped your mind around the concept that he's a lot smarter than you've ever given him credit for!"

For a moment, Riku just stared at Namine, his face slowly twisting and slithering between disbelief, pain, and sheer rage. He closed his eyes, unfolded his arms and reopened them, the rage having overtaken all of the disbelief and pain.

"I do what I want, and what I want is what's best for everyone. Don't you dare try and tell me that you know what I want, what Sora wants, or what anyone wants. You seem to have slipped down into your own fantasy, thinking that you actually know Sora just because you screwed with his head until he thought you were a Goddess. Well, I've got news for you: you don't know Sora and you don't know anything about me. So here's a concept for you. I don't tell you how to clean up your mess and you don't tell me how to clean up mine."

Namine bristled and fired back.

"Oh really? Tell me, who threatened and intimidated you into becoming a darkling? At least I have a reason for doing the things I did. I didn't hurt Sora just from some-"

"I did have a reason," Riku snapped. "I thought I was right and he was wrong. I thought that I was helping Kairi and he was interfering. At least I'm man enough to admit I was wrong, instead of hiding behind some excuse like 'I was threatened.' It certainly didn't stop you later."

"You're not a man at all!" Namine said, shouting now. "You're just a little boy scared of his own shadow who makes everybody suffer for his own weaknesses."

"Again, how does that make me any different from you? You sat in your tower and played Sora for a fool. You twisted him inside out until he couldn't tell his left from his right. Or did you just decide to make yourself 'forget' that too?"

"I remember it! I remember it every waking moment, and I spend every waking moment correcting my mistakes and making sure I don't repeat them. Can you say as much? All you've done is play with the darkness-"

"I'm not playing! This is the path I've chosen to help Sora. I can't help him in the light, so I stand in the dark. You have no right to judge me."

"I do when you're path interferes with mine! Ugh! You're exactly like DiZ! You think you know exactly how everything should be done and that everyone should fall in line behind you and serve your purpose. You're a... a..."

"A what? A monster? Of course I am! That's all you people see me as!" Riku spat back. "A pawn in this dark game. That's all you and DiZ and all of the Organization and Maleficent and Ansem see me as! If you all want me to be a freak so bad, maybe I'll show how much of a freak I really am!"

The darkness gathered at his feet, forming a bright blue circle. Namine finally faltered at this display.

"H-Hey, Riku wait," she said, stepping back a bit. "Th-this is going way too far, don't you think?"

"Come on, witch," he said, the darkness charging his body with power. "Don't tell me you're cowering out now."

"I-I won't use my powers like that again," she said, shaking her head. "Please Riku. Just stop. It's fine. You're right. I'm wrong."

Riku sneered.

"Too late," he said, his Soul-Eater bursting into his hands as he lunged forward, the darkness leaping behind him. Namine shrieked and hid herself behind her notebook.

No impact came.

On the contrary, she felt a cool rush of wind on her back and she turned to see Riku calmly slicing through a Neoshadow.

A troop of five or six of them had snuck up behind them in the midst of their argument, it would seem.

Namine yelped a bit again and moved away from the fray. In contrast, Riku snarled and jumped straight in. As one Neoshadow rose into the air and began spinning, Riku leaned back, so he was sliding on the grass on his knees with the aid of the darkness. He let loose a blast of dark fire, incinerating the heartless as it passed overhead. He lifted himself back to his feet while sliding and jumped into the air, bringing the blade down in a might slash that loosed a wave of energy on impact, destroying another heartless. He swung around and threw his blade with terrifying speed and strength, decimating another heartless, leaving just two more. One leapt high into the air while the other dove into a pool of darkness in the ground. Riku's blade spun back into his outstretched hand and he made a sharp upward swing that skewered the leaping heartless. In one fluid motion, he twisted around and plunged his hand into the dark pool that had crept up behind him. He struggled for a moment and then yanked the Neoshadow up from the pool by its antennae. He stared at it for a moment before slashing off its head and blasting the body with dark fire as it began to dissipate.

He looked down at the battleground meadow for a moment and dismissed his blade. He collapsed on the ground and sighed tiredly. Namine rushed over to his side immediately.

"Riku, you're... you're injured, you shouldn't be-" Namine stopped and frowned as the past few moments settled in her mind. "You let me think that you were going to attack me."

"The most satisfying thing I've done in the last two weeks," Riku said, without even a hint of a smile or humor, as he stared into the night sky at, the stars twinkling above. Namine shook her head furiously.

"You're unbelievable," she said. "Of all the boneheaded, stubborn, arrogant, mean-"

"Do you really want to continue this conversation?" Riku said, suddenly.

It wasn't a threat. It was a genuine question. Namine looked into his eyes and saw the exhaustion and pain in his eyes. But deeper in their glow was the shadow of regret and doubt. Riku turned his gaze to her and Namine could feel his gaze penetrating her own eyes as hers were penetrating his. She felt a sudden warmth rising to her cheeks and she looked away.

"It's in your eyes, too," Riku said, no longer keeping his exhaustion out of his voice. "Let's just leave it. For now at least."

Namine looked at him again, studying his face. That same regret and doubt in her eyes? Yes, that was most likely true.

They could fire insults and anger off at each other all they wanted. It wouldn't change either of their minds. Because they both knew that the other one was just as right, every step of the way. Riku was a monster. Namine was a witch. They were both miserable people who had done miserable deeds. The only reason to pursue such an argument would be masochism and self-loathing, and while Namine was sure that the two of them had plenty of that between them, they would not serve them or their goals in any way in the foreseeable future.

_He was able to tell that from one look? _ Namine thought as she crawled away from him wordlessly. _Perhaps he's more special than I give him credit for... Well, whatever. Like I said earlier, I only have to deal with him until Sora awakens. For now, I'll just endure._

Her notebook rustled a bit in the night wind and she sighed. It probably wasn't a good idea to bother the tired Riku, who most likely had one foot in sleep already, but the memories of Sora were protesting too strongly for her to ignore.

"Goodnight, Riku," she said, a bit quickly and turned over on her side to sleep in the soft grass. There was a long uncomfortable silence, before it came out. It was in a low, choked voice, barely above a whisper, almost lost in the night breeze.

"Goodnight..."

* * *

_I am on a roll with this updating stuff right now. I've never used to be able to write like this. I'd be lucky to get three chapters in six months. Now I've gotten three chapters in three weeks._  
_Well, 'tis all for naught if my writing has now turned to shit. So please, let me know if I'm doing well here. Just a quick review to let me know what you think of what's happening/how my writing is panning out. If you think it's too sappy/not sappy enough, if you want more action, if you want me to speed things up... just write a review telling me so._  
_Thanks for reading, all the same. I hope you all stay tuned. The next chapter will see some major developments take place._  
_Until then... farewell._  
_-CrashingWorlds_


	4. The Crossroads

_One more review! Yay!_  
_I won't reprint it, but I'd like to thank you for giving me some feedback. I was afraid I was doing something unspeakably plain here. Now I can be assured that at least one person is deriving some enjoyment from this._  
_I'd also like to add, as a casual suggestion for everyone, if you frequent this site you might consider getting an account, even if you have no intention of writing. You can set email alerts, favorites, etc. I think it's a handy thing to have, and I've been frequenting this site for over half a decade._  
_...Dear lord, that's a frightening thought._  
_Anyway, without further ado, let's move on, shall we? I'm rather interested to see where this goes..._

Chapter 4: The Crossroads

**Crying is alright in its own way while it lasts. But you have to stop sooner or later, and then you still have to decide what to do. -C.S. Lewis  
**

Riku watched the clouds roll across the dark sky. He had forgotten there was no daytime or morning in this world. It was always late evening here. How many hours had he been lying there? He had no way of knowing.

He tried to call softly to Namine but on his first attempt his voice was weak and hoarse. He cleared his throat and tried again with more success.

"Namine," he said. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," she replied promptly. "I have been for some time now."

Riku sat up to see her softly tracing a finger along one of her drawings while lying on her stomach. Her sandals were off and to the side, and her feet dangled in the air.

_She looks kind of_- Riku cut the thought off before he could even finish it and shook his head.

"How long have you been up?" he said, resting his elbow on one of his knees. She touched a finger to her lips in thought before answering.

"A while. I'm not sure. It's hard to keep track of time," she said, still tracing the drawing with her other hand.

"Same," Riku said, rising to stand. "I thought you'd need more time to rest." Namine turned and rose to a sitting position, shifting the sketchpad into her lap. She shook her head softly.

"I don't need much sleep. Especially when we're just walking. Just a little time for my body to recover. I thought you'd need more time to sleep after that fight," Namine said, looking up at him past her golden hair.

Riku twisted and stretched.

"It wasn't much of a fight. Anyways, the darkness speeds up my recovery," he said, and as he finished cracking his back, he caught Namine's gaze. For a moment they just stood there, eyes locked in an uncomfortable silence as the memory of last night lingered in the cool air. It wasn't tense but tentative.

Finally, Riku cracked a wry smile and looked off to the side. Namine tried to bite her lip to keep a straight face but ended up looking down to conceal the small laugh that played across her face.

"We don't communicate very well," Riku said, once he had used up the smile. Namine continued staring at her sketchpad and huffed a bit.

"You communicated how you were going to cut me to ribbons quite well," she said, her voice tightening as she spoke. The tension flooded the atmosphere.

"...I'm not apologizing," Riku said, scoffing a bit. Namine huffed a bit again and slapped her notebook closed, standing abruptly. She put her sandals on and walked rigidly past Riku.

"We should start moving. We've wasted enough time here," she said, her voice stiff and cold. Riku rolled his eyes and lazily followed.

_Girls..._

* * *

"Heh," a man in a black, hooded cloak said, observing from high in the sky as Namine marched forward with Riku trailing behind. "Well, isn't this an interesting troop? Guess that old coot's still got some brains left. Must've seen us coming."

He took a few steps in the air and flipped upside down. Stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Hm. Sora's still stuck in that pod in Castle O way back there. He can't do anything about that. So I should hit there first," he said, taking a few more steps and then gazing pointedly at the unexpected travellers. Namine stopped, turned, and shouted something at Riku. He snapped a retort as he walked by her and she jogged after him, yelling behind him.

"Still... I hate to just leave these two kids all by their lonesome," he said. His grin was audible. He snapped his fingers and two Snipers materialized around him.

"Go babysit," he commanded, and the pair winked out of view. "Play nicely..."

* * *

"You're unbelievable! How can you be so blind!" Namine said.

"You don't have any right to judge me, or my decisions," Riku said, focusing on the path ahead of him. "Especially not when you're the one who stuck him in that pod."

"At least I'm not leaving him-"

"Look!" Riku spat, spinning on his heel to glare down at Namine. "This doesn't concern you in the slightest. I don't care if this doesn't line up with your fantasy of how everything should play out. I'm acting according to what I think is best for him."

"This isn't about me or you! This is about Sora!"

"What the hell are you? His mother?"

"Are you his father?"

"Wh- I- Kh-. Just shut the hell up!" Riku said, throwing his arms up in defeat and stomping off again, with Namine hot on his heels.

"I already told you! I'm not shutting up anymore because somebody has to tell you this!"

"Says who?" Riku said, glaring at her over his shoulder.

"Says Sora!" Namine said, before thinking of what she was saying. Riku stopped in his tracks and looked at her oddly before paling in the face of some realization.

"You can talk to Sora?" he asked, suddenly extremely conscious of what he had 'told' Sora during his stay at Castle Oblivion.

"What? No, I just... I don't know. I sense things... through his memories," Namine said, shaking her head. Riku visibly calmed but his anger surged forward.

"I don't care what Sora's memories are telling you. They're just memories. You don't know what he's thinking now," Riku said.

"It's not just his memories! I can... I've connected with him. I know what he'd want! I'm sure you do too, you're just too stubborn to realize it."

"You're damn right I know what he wants, and It's not happening. He's not chasing after me this time. You'd think he would have learned it's trouble by now, but he's probably so chock full of stupid memories of-" Riku stopped abruptly looking at Namine with a strange fixation.

"...Wh-what?" she asked, perturbed by his stare. RIku eyed her for a moment more before slowly opening his mouth.

"You're unraveling Sora's memories and reconnecting them, right?" Riku said, nodding as he spoke. Namine narrowed her eyes and nodded in return. "And you could put the links back in anyway you wanted right?"

"Y-yes..." Namine's body could sense where the conversation was headed, even if her mind hadn't figured it out.

"You could even potentially... leave a few links out?"

Realization dawned on Namine. She took a step back but Riku pressed forward.

"Namine, could you..."

_No..._

"...in the reconstruction process..."

_...no, no, no, no, no, no, no-_

"...erase Sora's memories of me?"

"No!" Namine shouted and slapped Riku hard across the face. Her reaction had been so sudden and unexpected that Riku actually stumbled back a few steps, his head turned completely to the side and his eyes shot with shock and disbelief.

"Y-you just... y-you," Riku said, gingerly touching his stinging cheek.

"Don't ever ask me that again!" she said, hugging her notebook to her chest. She almost looked ready to cry.

"... What the hell? What the actual hell? Why don't you get it that-" Riku stopped mid-sentence again. This time, he drew his Soul-Eater and assumed his battle stance, holding the blade near his eye.

"H-hey. Put that away. It's not funny, Riku," Namine said, defiance and fear both evident in her voice.

"...Namine, get behind me," Riku said, his eyes straining. Namine looked behind her and saw nothing.

"Riku, I really don't-" Namine was abruptly cut off as Riku rushed forward and pushed her to the side to deflect a set of vibrant pink crossbow bolt.

"Hey! I-" Namine immediately stopped as she saw a pink bolt shatter against the ground. Riku stood firmly in his spot, his eyes darting from side to side as he tried to sense where the next attack was coming from. For a moment, there was nothing but painful silence.

Then a bolt shout out of the darkness and struck Riku's hip. He grunted and hissed in pain before he heard the whine of another bolt. He flipped backwards on one hand as the second bolt raced forward, followed by a third, a fourth, and a fifth. After three flips, Riku stumbled back and clumsily deflected a sixth bolt. Finally, the Snipers came into view, moving easily in midair, prancing around Riku, their crossbows at the ready.

"What the..." Riku said, glancing between the two of them. "What are these things?"

"Riku!" Namine called, standing just off where Riku had knocked her down. "Be careful! These are Nobodies! They're much stronger than Heartless!"

Riku looked over at Namine, only to leap back as another bolt shot for his leg.

"Nobodies? What the hell are those and where did they come from?" Riku said, as one of them maneuvered behind him and swung at him with its crossbow. Riku ducked under it and swung up with his Soul-Eater only to pass through empty space as it teleported behind him. "Wait... that blue-haired bastard from the Organization... he mentioned them when I...when I..."

"They're the Organization's underlings and foot soldiers," Namine said, cringing as Riku blocked another bolt. "But don't underestimate them! Only the strong of heart become nobodies!"

"The strong of- Whoa!" RIku said, as a bullet passed dangerously close to his cheek. He could feel the energy radiating off of it. _Come on, keep it cool, just focus. You're better than this..._

Riku dashed forward to strike one of the Snipers, leaping into the air and spinning to add momentum to his swing. The Sniper easily teleported some ways behind Riku and began firing bolts. Riku's rotation brought him full circle so he was again facing the same Sniper, and he dashed forward. The Sniper had loosed three shots which hung in the air. Riku rushed forward and lunged for the Sniper who deftly moved out of the way. Riku landed on his feet his eyes portraying his incredible focus.

"Riku! You won't get to them by just rushing at them!" Namine said.

Riku rolled his eyes and flipped forward out of the path of the three bolts that the Sniper had fired.

"Try using your Dark Firaga!" Namine said.

"I don't-" Riku started, but stopped as he heard a large grinding noise from above. He looked up to see that the second Sniper had taken the time spent fighting the first to charge up a large projectile. It sat in air for a moment and then split into at least a dozen bolts that rained down on Riku.

Riku crossed his arms and braced himself for the impact. Many of them deflected themselves and exploded around his legs, stinging but doing no serious damage. He was able to deflect any of the others from hitting him directly, though they struck and burst around his arms.

He sucked in his breath and relaxed his stance, closing his eyes and looking up where the sniper had been a moment previous. Now they continued their circular dance around him, waiting patiently for his next move.

"Riku! Now's your chance! Don't just-" Namine started, but Riku stuck his sword out and pointed it at Namine.

"I know you don't like me telling you to shut up. So kindly seal your lips, throw the key, and let me do the fighting," Riku said, his voice calm. Namine almost retorted but as Riku hunched forward, opened his eyes, and licked his lips, his body tensing like a wolf, preparing to strike, something about his air compelled her to listen and watch.

The Nobodies continued to circle around and seemed to resign themselves to just killing him. As they travelled around, they began slowly lining up crossbow bolts and firing them. The shots hung in air, forming a ring around Riku, who made no move.

_One... two, three... four... five...now!_

As the sixth bolt was fired, Riku vanished from his position and reappeared in the air. A few sharp strokes of his blade and two of the bolts were in motion, homing in on one of the Snipers. It was taken by surprise and the bolts knocked it back. Before it had a chance to recover, Riku had sent a blast of Dark Fire shooting towards it. The blast incinerated the nobody, leaving not even ash in its wake. The remaining four bolts rushed forward for Riku and he swatted them aside with a powerful swing of his blade. The second Sniper teleported behind Riku, preparing to swing its crossbow down on Riku's head, but it passed through air. A moment later, it was sliced cleanly through and faded into oblivion.

Riku took several deep breaths and gave a cautious sweep of the area with his eyes before sighing and dismissing his Soul-Eater.

He turned around and looked at Namine, whose head was tilted to the side. A pair of wide, deep blue eyes regarded him with newfound curiosity.

"...What?" he said, folding his arms.

"...How did you do that?" Namine asked, in legitimate awe.

"Do what?" Riku said, raising an eyebrow, looking back where the Nobodies' corpses would be if they had remained.

"Do... that!" Namine said. "You were losing terribly for the entire fight, and then you just went... and did... that!"

"...I... don't... really..."

"You made a bunch of advance, high-ranking Nobodies look like weaklings!" Namine said. Riku had to smile a bit at the praise but quickly wiped it away with his hand.

"Well... it's not like it wasn't hard. For a while, I wasn't really sure how to go about it," Riku said, rubbing his ear. "They were sneaky-types. I had to run around like an idiot to get any information out of them."

"Information?" Namine asked, raising an eyebrow. Riku sighed again.

"Each of them can load up to three crossbow bolts at once. When they fire, the bolts stay in the air until about two seconds after the third bolt had been fired. After that, they home in on you. Also, they can't teleport until the bolts have struck something."

"...So that's how you knew when to attack," Namine said, nodding in appreciation. "But how did you know that the second one was going to try and hit you with its crossbow instead of teleport away and shoot you?"

"I didn't," Riku said, shrugging again. "But once he had teleported there, I knew I was fast enough to catch him."

Namine sat down, absorbing all the information, taking it all in.  
"I... I never knew that... fighting could be so... so..."

"Complex?" Riku said, rolling his eyes. He had often been labeled a musclehead by people on the islands for his consistent training. Not that it mattered. People stupid enough to make that judgment were easy to prove wrong.

"Beautiful!" Namine exclaimed, smiling broadly. Riku blushed a bit and his eyes flickered back and forth between Namine and the ground just to the side of her.

"That's not... quite the word I would use..." Riku said. Namine just went on smiling, and opened her notebook, flipping to the page that her notebook had opened to last night. Riku stepped over and looked at the picture.

"Sora has a lot of memories of you guys sparring and racing and competing. He really loves them, even if you guys got a little overzealous..." Namine said, her smile fading. Riku's red cheek was stinging again...

"Uh... let's keep walking," Riku said, skating around her and moving down the path. Namine looked at the picture a moment longer and closed the book, jumping to her feet and racing after him.

"Hey..." Namine said, her voice soft. "Sora really cares about you. You know that."

"Do you really want to continue this conversation?" Riku said, sighing. Namine faltered for a moment. It was the same question from last night.

Did she want to continue this conversation? Hadn't she butted heads with Riku enough in the last day and a half? Wasn't this the exact same conversation that she had relented last night?

...No, that wasn't entirely true. Last night, they had been fighting. Had been trying to insult and hurt each other like children. This was different. This was her trying to help Riku see the right path, see the error of his ways. If not for him or for her own sense of decency, then for Sora.

"He'll keep searching for you. He'll search to the ends of the universe for you. I don't even think he'd stop if I took his memories of you," Namine said. Riku sighed again and stopped walking, turning calmly to face Namine.

"But you don't know that," Riku said, frustrated but making the effort to be understood. "Can you please try and see things my way? I've... made my share of mistakes over this whole adventure. I butted my way between Sora and Kairi and put them both in danger. I just want... I want them to be happy now. And that's not going to happen with Sora chasing after me like an idiot. They can go back to the islands and settle in peacefully. I... I can't go back. I sold my home to the darkness with my heart. Family, friends... they were all swallowed up. How could I ever go back? I couldn't. I shouldn't," Riku said, shaking his head. "Sora should stop focusing on me. Kairi's waiting for him."

"Kairi's waiting for you, too," Namine said, also making the effort to be understood. "And so are Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie... Riku, Sora doesn't want to go back home. He wants to go back home with you. That's why he'll keep searching. It's not because he's giving up on returning home. It's because he knows that it won't be home for him or Kairi unless you're there. And no amount of amnesia is going to change that."

"But I can't go back," Riku said. "I don't know why this is so hard to understand. Sora is searching for me to bring me back to the scene of the crime. My crime. I'm not doing that. If you erase his memory, you can spare him that endless and painful obligation he feels towards me. Just tell me why you won't do it. Give me one good reason."

"Because those memories are the most miraculous and precious pieces of his heart!" Namine said, passion filling her voice. Riku shrunk back and Namine tried to soften her voice but her personal reflection on the memories showed in her face and tone.

She shook her notebook vigorously so that Riku would take notice of it. "This... is filled with some of the most beautiful and touching and meaningful moments you have ever seen. They're full of life and love and friendship... and a whole lot of them have you in them! They may seem meaningless to you. Maybe they're just sparring and races and swimming and blitzball and school and camping to you but to Sora... to me, they're all the little pieces of a person... of Sora's heart. I made the mistake of making a horrible mess of them once... and now you're asking me to do it again? I... I won't. I... I... I can't. I... I..." Namine's body was trembling and her eyes began to water just slightly. She took several deep breaths to calm herself. Riku eyed her a bit oddly, grudgingly understanding her feelings though still irritated by the inconvenience to his own goals.

"I... Ugh... You can't always have everything in life," Riku said, not really even talking to Namine anymore. "Sora should know that by now."

"He doesn't," Namine said, sniffling a bit and wiping her eyes with the heel of her palm. "That's what makes him Sora. Anyways, you should take your own advice. Accept that Sora's going to come after you, whether you like it or not."

"I can move faster than he can," Riku said suddenly. "I can hide in the shadows. He won't be able to find me."

"So now the truth comes out," Namine said, earning a confused look from Riku. "This isn't about Sora at all, is it? You just don't want Sora to see the darkness in you."

"Wh-what!? Of course this is about Sora, I-"

"But it's not just about Sora, is it?" Namine cut in quickly. Riku glared at Namine for a moment before hissing and averting his eyes.

"I... I shouldn't be found. I'm a... reject from the shadows. Anyone with eyes could see that," Riku said, feeling the heavy burden in his heart. "I don't want to be found. I don't want them to see what's inside me."

"Sora will see what's inside you alright. He'll see the same friend that's always been by his side. that's always looked out for him," Namine said, and Riku looked up at her, a bit pained.

"You don't know that. You can't know that."

"I do. I can."

Riku looked at her for a long while. Namine could see how deeply he wanted to believe her, to wholeheartedly take the words she said as true and lay any doubts in his heart to rest.

But he had been lied to once too many in his past adventures and he couldn't bring himself to accept her word. So Namine sighed.

"I can't make you stay... You're definitely faster than me... You're probably faster than Sora," Namine said, and Riku regarded her curiously, wondering if this was his victory. "But... just answer me this. If you were ever to defeat the darkness inside of you... you would return to Sora, right?"

Riku just stared blankly for a moment. If he were to defeat his darkness? Wasn't that exactly what he was currently training to do? Why had he gone ahead and assumed that he was going to fail? Was he that hopelessly outmatched by his darkness?

"I...I suppose so..." he mumbled. Namine's eyes gleamed with confidence and she marched up to him. Her arm rushed up, and Riku cringed back, expecting another slap. Instead, she extended her pinky finger into the air.

"Promise me," she said, and Riku just blinked and looked back and forth from her hand back to her determined expression.

"Ex... cuse me?"

"Promise!" Namine said. "Promise that if you beat your inner darkness you'll go straight back to Sora!"

"...O...kay. I promise," Riku said, quirking an eyebrow. Namine frowned a bit and waved her pinky around a bit.

"Pinky promise me," she demanded. RIku rolled his eyes.

"I'm not pinky promising anything. I'm not six years old," he said and turned around, only to find Namine waiting for him, pinky outstretched.

"Promise me, or I'll never let it rest," Namine said. Riku looked into her eyes for a long while, hoping to convince her how childish she was being. Instead, he was completely and utterly convinced that he would not be able to sleep, eat, or breathe in peace until he locked pinkies with her.

"Fine," Riku said, snagging his pinky on hers. "I promise. This is such a Sora thing to do."

"I should think so. I learned it from him," Namine said, smiling a bit. Riku just scoffed and untangled their fingers before walking off the path onto the grass and seating himself, feeling the mental drain take its toll on him.

"This really doesn't change anything," Riku said, scrounging for some small victory. "I'll probably always have some lingering darkness inside me, and as long as I do, I'll keep hiding away."

"Don't worry," Namine said, brushing her hair to the side as she sat on the other side of the path. "You'll beat it."

"How do you know?" Riku said, unable to keep the cynicism out of his voice.

"I just do... or maybe Sora does," she said, and she opened the sketchpad again, glancing over the drawings. Riku looked across at her with fascination and he stood up and walked over to gaze at the drawings.

Namine shifted uncomfortably as he looked at the product of hours and hours of toil but waited patiently, even stealing a glance to see if there was any degree of admiration in his eyes.

"...They're... interesting," Riku said, scratching just beneath his eye. Namine was equally unsure of how to respond.

"I... suppose they are," she said, trying to ignore him as she gazed at them.

"No, I mean... they're good, it's just... I don't know. Aren't drawings supposed to be detailed and sharp?" Riku asked. Namine looked at him once again and saw true interest.

_Maybe, just maybe..._she thought to herself.

"I guess..." she said, shrugging her small shoulders. "I just draw memories mostly and memories get kind of fuzzy. As long as I capture the feeling of the memories, it's perfect."

"Have you... ever tried to draw something not from a memory?" Riku said. Namine looked up at him, and cocked her head curiously.

"Like... what?"

"Well... I don't know. Could you draw that fight I just had?" Riku asked, throwing out the first thing that came to mind.

"Isn't that still a memory?" she asked.

"I mean, technically, I guess but...no, I guess you're right," Riku said, folding his arms and looking down in thought. Namine looked down at her sketchpad in thought as well and then looked up.

"I could draw you," she offered, and Riku's gaze snapped on to her, somewhat alarmed.

"Wait, what?"

"I could draw you," she repeated. "Doing something. Maybe just getting ready to fight or something. That's the only way I can think of."

"Uh... thanks, I'll pass," Riku said, stepping back and smiling a bit awkwardly. Namine looked after him curiously.

"Why-"

"I think we should keep moving," Riku offered. Namine studied him for a minute longer before closing her sketchpad and standing up.

"Okay. Let's go," she said. Riku huffed a bit and continued along the path, though not quite as rigidly as before. He seemed at least mildly interested in the landscape, the endless hills of soft grass surrounding him. Or perhaps he was just daydreaming. What was going on in his head?

Namine smiled slyly to herself and opened the sketchpad in her arms as they walked.

"You can't possibly know that I'll win," Riku said, looking straight forward. Namine looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"You're just as scared of my darkness as I am," Riku said. "You have no idea when I'll be unhinged and how far I'll go before I come to my senses. I could turn on you at any moment, and you wouldn't be able to stop me in the slightest. I'm a walking hazard."

"I...I don't think of you like that," Namine said, a bit distracted.

"Don't lie," Riku muttered. "I've seen the way you look at me. You and DiZ. I'm a freak accident, a bomb waiting to be set off. Everybody knows it. By that point, I won't even recognize Sora."

"What are you trying to prove?" Namine asked, and Riku's mouth clamped shut. Hell if he knew. He was just trying to be right about something at this point.

"In response, yes, I know you're dangerous and you could be slip and fall at any moment," Namine said, working furiously on her sketch pad, her brow creasing. "But I know in the long run you'll always come back to your senses. You'll always stand up again. You'll always come back to the light."

"Like I said... you don't know that," Riku said, snorting a bit and looking absently at his feet as he walked.

"I do. It's in your nature," Namine said. Riku finally looked back at her and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, and you've got my nature pegged, haven't you?" he said, before turning back and continuing forward.

Namine inspected the base sketch she had drawn, looking up at her companion and back down at it several times before she smiled again in satisfaction and closed it.

_I'd say so _she thought to herself, and hurried after him.

* * *

The Organization member winked into existence just outside Castle Oblivion, his head turning slowly and deliberately as he scanned the landscape.

"That old nut... he cleared out faster than I would have guessed. And he even managed to get Sora out of here without a single lead. Dammit! I'll never hear the end of it from Saix. Ugh..." he said, shaking his head. As he looked up, he saw the modest dirt path that wound out and around and through the rolling green hills.

"Hey, now... weren't those wacky little kids out there somewhere," he said, stretching his senses out across the landscape.

"Well, those two Snipers sure as shit ain't here anymore," he said, scratching the back of his head absently. "Guess I underestimated them a bit, too. Oh well. Whoever said two wrongs don't make a right?"

He took a few steps and began walking into the air, casually.

"Let's go see what these two know about where Sora is... I need to pay him a visit," he said, and teleported.

* * *

"What?" Riku said, exasperation overtaking his voice. Namine looked back at him, confused and a bit flustered.

"What... what?" she replied, and Riku facepalmed for a moment.

"Every few seconds, you keep turning around to look at me like you want to ask me something," Riku said. "What is it?"

"I... um... I wanted to know..." Namine said, looking just off the path as she walked and tightening her hold on her notebook.

"Spit. It. Out," Riku said, his patience worn thin.

"Is... is it weird if I take off my sandals?" Namine asked. Riku stopped dead and looked at her, trying to note something in her face or tone that indicated she was joking.

"Wh-what? It is weird? I'm sorry I just... the grass felt really soft and I've been in Castle Oblivion for as long as I can remember so I... I just thought I'd-"

"Namine," Riku said, still a bit unsure whether or not this was developing into some form of practical joke. "It's not weird for you to take off your sandals. It's weird that you need my permission to take off your sandals."

Namine blushed lightly and turned away. "I-I don't need your permission. I just wanted to ask. I don't know what's normal out here."

"It's not weird to take off your sandals," Riku said, shaking his head, and they continued walking. She still hadn't taken off her sandals. And now she was taking even more furtive glances at him.

"Are you going to take them off?" Riku finally asked. Namine pursed her lips and looked at him.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Riku stopped dead again.

"What possible reason could I have for lying?"

"I don't know, maybe you want people to see me as a weirdo."

"Well, there's nobody here except me, and I already think you're a weirdo."

"So you're admitting that if I did this in front of people they would think I was strange."

"Namine, shut- just take off the damn sandals."

"You first," Namine said, hugging her sketchpad. Riku's mouth hung open slightly and he just stared at her.

"What do you mean, 'you first?' " Riku said, his voice becoming shrill in disbelief.

"Take off your boots. That'll prove that it's not weird," Namine said. Riku stared at her, scrutinized her, looked her up and down, but no, she was dead serious.

"I'm not taking my boots off," Riku said, and marched past her.

"See? It wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't weird!" Namine declared, and Riku groaned and shook his head.

"Look, you do what you want. Just don't whine about not getting to walk in the grass," Riku said, and continued right along. With some small satisfaction, he noted that she stopped for a moment and struggled with her footwear before going off the trail and jogging in the grass.

"I still think you're lying," she said, but she was smiling. Riku rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," he said. "It hasn't stopped you." He looked down at her feet to confirm that she was in fact walking barefoot in the grass. Slowly but surely, his eyes began to trace up-

His head snapped forward, a bit violently. Namine looked at him curiously.

"Are you alright, Riku?" she asked.

"Fine," he said, his voice stiff.

"Are you sure? You look kind of red... are you feeling sick? We can stop for a bit," she said.

Riku was contemplating whether or not to take her up on the offer and risk irritating DiZ or refuse and risk further invoking her curiosity as to why his face was red, when a sudden chill settled in. Namine likewise shuddered and looked ahead. Apparently, she had felt it, too.

"...Just over that hill," Riku said, and Namine nodded a bit, holding her sketchpad close.

"What should we do?" Namine said, quieting her voice to just above a whisper.

" 'We' aren't doing anything. Stay here. I'll move forward and check it out. If it seems like... like I'm occupied, turn and run," Riku said, unsure why his hands were shaking and his ear were ringing. He began walking the path up the hill, his movements light and slow and his eyes flitting around the area, trying to pinpoint where the sinking feeling was emanating from.

But he climbed over to the top of the hill and found nothing. There was no person or thing to speak of to explain the feeling he was getting.

"..Hey, Namine. You can come on up. It seems safe," he called. There was no reply. "Hey, Namine. I said-"

A warp. A scream.

"Shit," Riku said past clenched teeth as he leaped and bounded back down the hill. He skidded to a halt at the foot, a small cloud of dust settling around him as he stared off at his foe.

"You black cloaks are beginning to annoy me," Riku said, his fists balled. The black cloak in question had one arm wrapped around Namine, covering her mouth, while the other sported a strange looking gun that was trained on Riku.

"What a coincidence. You annoy me," the man replied. "We have so much in common."

"You were the one that sent those... Nobodies earlier?" Riku said, taking a step forward. Without hesitation, the man shot a bolt right before Riku's feet. It was the same pink, glowing shot that the Snipers had fired.

_Guess that solves that mystery_ Riku thought to himself. _Now I just have to save her somehow..._

"I was supposed to hit up Oblivion and give you guys all a good scare. But turns out you cleared out faster than expected," the man said. "How did the old man transport Sora out of that castle anyways?"

"I have no idea," Riku said, truthfully not knowing.

"Huh. Still not too keen on letting others in on his grand schemes. Some things just never change. You're probably not even sure where you're going," the cloaked man said, shouldering his gun for a moment. Riku made no sudden movements.

"What are you talking about?" Riku said.

"Don't worry about it," the man said, aiming his weapon once more. "I don't want you fretting about things way beyond the scope of your mind."

"What are you people planning?" Riku said, growing more belligerent by the second.

"Now, now, didn't I just say I didn't want you worrying about things that are well beyond you?" he replied. "Such a boneheaded pest."

"Who the hell are you?" Riku said, settling into a half crouch. The cloaked man hesitated for a moment, then swept the hood off his head revealing black and grey hair slicked back into a ponytail and a scarred face with an eyepatch across it.

"The name's Xigbar," he said, radiating confidence. "Of course, we already know all about you Riku. Every single one of your dirty little secrets."

"I've only got one secret, and I haven't made any real effort to hide it," Riku said, feeling slightly unnerved by Xigbar's smile.

"But you have tried to forget it, haven't you?" Xigbar said. Riku halted for a moment and Xigbar grinned wider. "Bullseye. Well, my friend, let's see if I can make you remember."

In the blink of an eye, Xigbar had appeared behind Riku, carrying Namine in tow, and fired off several rounds. Riku had drawn his sword at a moments noticed deflecting them off in random directions. The moment he had swatted the last one away, he found himself face to face with the barrel of Xigbar's arrowgun. Frantically, he leaned to the side and swung, only to pass through nothing.

"Don't slow up now," Xigbar laughed, firing three quick bursts from above. They spiraled and soared straight down on Riku, who put up a weak defense, holding his blade up over his head. But two portals opened on either side of him and unleashed a salvo of the glowing red bullets on to him.

"Gah," Riku said, collapsing to his knee, using his sword to support himself. One bullet alone was just a bruise, a sting. A storm of them was unbearable.

"Had enough?" Xigbar said, standing just in front of Riku. He was still smirking. Riku glared up and then smirked a bit himself.

"Not a chance," he said, and swung wide again. Xigbar leaped back smoothly to avoid the attack.

"Tsk. And still fighting the darkness all the way... you remind me of that guy," Xigbar said, shaking his head and only barely paying attention to Riku. "That bastard who did this to my face..."

Xigbar came to and Riku's blade was whirling through the air.

"Ho," he said, leaping over it easily. "You've got some nerve kid..."

Xigbar's eyes scanned the ground only to find it empty. At the last moment he looked up to see Riku rushing through the air. His hand clamped over Xigbar's face and his other arm wrapped around Namine's frame.

_Too close to shoot _Xigbar realized as the dark fire gathered on Riku's palm.

An explosion ensued sending Xigbar in one direction and Riku and Namine in the other. Xigbar flipped and reoriented himself, landing lightly on his feet. Riku skidded back against the ground, one arm wrapped around Namine's waist. She was trembling a bit as Riku set her down.

"You... little shit... You really do remind me of that guy..." Xigbar said, his hand covering his wound. "I hate that guy. Don't think I'm just going to let you off lightly now..."

"You're not making any sen-" Riku said, but was cut off as Xigbar teleported in front of him and kicked him in the face.

"Reloading!" Xigbar shouted, drawing a second Arrowgun. He held them together and charged them, firing a great arrow of blue energy after Riku.

"Ugh... don't underestimate me," Riku said, slapping the arrow to the side. Xigbar teleported into the arrows new path and deflected it again. He performed multiple high speed deflections and managed to catch Riku in the back with the arrow.

"Agh," Riku said, falling down to the ground. Xigbar landed with him and stomped on his back, just between the shoulder blades.

"Come on now, little shady. You're not even trying yet," Xigbar said, sneering. "Why don't you get some of that darkness off your chest and out in the open. Express yourself a little."

"...Screw... you..." Riku said, trying to struggle up under Xigbar's authoritative position. Xigbar shot an arrow into his arm without hesitation and he collapsed.

"Little punks like you... really piss me off," Xigbar said, his anger beginning to show through. "Really... really... piss me off..."

"Get off of him," Namine said, swatting at Xigbar's arm. Xigbar rolled his eyes and grinned. The gun in his left hand trained on her.

"Well, if you won't do it to save your own sorry ass, maybe you'll release your darkness if I point the gun at this pretty girl here," he said, smirking. Riku's eyes narrowed as he tried again to lift himself up.

"Don't do it, Riku!" she said, though her voice was shaking. "It'll be fine! You can't afford to unleash it now."

Riku grunted and closed his eyes, his weight resting on his forearm. His choices were limited. He had to save Namine... but he couldn't give in to the darkness again... not after having so recently falling to it. There was no telling how far he would fall if he jumped in again.

As a matter of fact, it was more likely that he would harm Namine if he gave in at this point. Yes, by all logical accounts, he should completely disregard the notion of giving into the darkness. It was unsafe, unreliable, and largely counterproductive...

Still, what the hell else was he supposed to do.

_Dammit... What should I do, Sora?... What should I do?..._ Riku thought, his hand clawing into the dirt.

At that moment, Xigbar's irritated sigh escaped past his lips. A moment later, Riku felt a sharp pain at the back of his head and his vision slowly began to fade out.

_...I'm sorry, Sora... I'm just not cut out for this... I'm sorry... Namine..._ Riku thought as he slipped from consciousness.

"What a troublesome brat you are. Just like him," Xigbar droned on. "So resistant to the darkness, even when lives are on the line. Such spectacular mental fortitude. I bet you must be so proud of yourself. If I actually wanted her dead, she would have faded to nothing by now. Tsk."

"Shut up!" Namine said. "You don't know anything!"

Xigbar turned his gaze over to her very slowly, and his grin sent chills down her spine that even Marluxia couldn't summon.

"Lil' shady may have lucked out... but I wonder if he's really the weak link here..." Xigbar said, stepping over the limp Riku to tower over Namine who took an inadvertent step back.

"Y-you can't... y-you can't-" Namine tried to stammer out, but she ended up tripping and falling on her back. Xigbar sneered and dismissed his arrowguns.

"Oh relax. I'm not going to kill you," Xigbar said. Then paused. "At least, not yet. After all, it's much harder this way. For you, that is. It's amusing for me either way."

With quiet ferocity and malice he brandished a sketch pad in his right hand. Namine's eyes went wide with shock and she immediately rose to her feet.

"No! Don't! Give that back to me!" she screamed, but Xigbar easily shoved her back his face the picture of cruelty and chaos. "You don't understand! I-"

"I think I understand pretty well. This book of kid scribbles is how you channel Sora's memories. In fact, I'd say you've actually been storing some of his memories in here," Xigbar said. "It wouldn't be too bright of an idea to completely take Sora out of the picture. Who knows? He may be useful later. But we sure as hell don't want him waking up right now. So... let's just say I..."

Xigbar tossed the sketch pad into the air and it locked in place in the air. Namine could do nothing but watch, her eyes brimming with horror. A ring of portals opened around the book, billowing darkness and turbulent fog. The sketchpad began to twist and turn violently under the influence of the force, it's pages flapping around wildly. An audible tear echoed throughout the sky as one page was torn off.

Namine's eyes began to tear and her hands trembled.

"No! Please!" Namine begged, but Xigbar just smirked and opened more portals. The torn page flitted amongst the turbulence and into one of the portals. More pages began to rip out of the book, one by one by one.

"Please! Stop it!" Namine said, her voice breaking. Rip! A memory of Sora's first visit to Traverse Town. Rip! A memory of Sora talking with Leon. Rip! Rip! Rip!

"...Please... no more..." Namine said, bowing her head to the dirt as her body shook with sobs. "...Please...Please..."

The portals closed and the now blank sketch pad slowly alighted into Xigbar's hand.

"Tsk. Look at yourself. You're pathetic," Xigbar said, tossing the empty at her. It opened and gently bounced off of her. Slowly, Xigbar began approaching. "Grovelling on the floor. And for what? Memories that weren't even yours."

Xigbar stood at her still kneeling form. Slowly and methodically, he reached down and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off her feet.

"And yet here you are. Crying like a baby. Man, it pisses me off. You could have broken me if you wanted. Completely erased my memories. And yet, here you are. Feeling sad because a few pieces of paper got thrown across the universe? Give me a break. Have you forgotten what got you in this mess in the first place?" Xigbar said. Namine weakly grasped his arm and looked down at him in pure misery. "More importantly... have you forgotten what you are? Well... allow me to remind you. You-"

Suddenly, a ghost of shadow flitted across his vision and disappeared.

"What the-" Xigbar said, turning to find a silver-haired boy in his blind spot, somehow having slipped in between Namine and the Organization member. He was midswing, the entirety of his weight on his right leg, leaning far into Xigbar's space so that his head was almost at the gunslinger's chest, with his torso so that his right shoulder was aimed at Xigbar. It was an all-or-nothing swing. As Riku shifted, putting all his momentum into his attack, his turquoise eyes came into view, ablaze with fire and fury.

"Oh, snap."

"Go to hell," Riku said, low and dark. His blade ignited in dark flame and he swung it across the Sharpshooter's chest, slashing from his right hip to his left shoulder. A giant arc of flames exploded across the air, a great ripple of fire that trailed of Xigbar's body like a wing of blue rage.

"Ugh," Xigbar grunted as he was sent skidding back. Namine dropped from his grasp like a sack just behind Riku. Xigbar fell to a knee and breathed in and out slowly.

Riku stood across from him, his legs wide, and his blade barely held of the ground. Sweat was dripping down his body.

"It's... over... for you," he said, trying to take a step forward, but pain shot through his body, and he had to use his sword to keep himself standing. Xigbar smirked as he clutched his chest.

"Hardly, punk. I'd say you're just as out of it as I am. Probably more, actually," Xigbar said, standing straight to make his point. "But I'll give credit where it's due; you got spunk, kid. I look forward to seeing how you dig yourself out of this one. Later."

"W-wait! You can't just... leave," Riku said, reaching out, only to be proven wrong.

He vanished and left nothing in his wake, save for two broken companions.

"Dammit... dammit all," Riku said, pounding his fist against the dirt just beneath him. He could feel the individual grains of dirt slicing his skin. He didn't care. He was weak and indecisive. Was refusing the darkness really strength? Or was it fear that was being fed on.

"A-ah...ah," Namine said, speechlessly holding her now blank notebook. Riku's head lashed towards her for a moment, seeming to have forgotten that she was even there. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Riku picked himself up and dusted off his coat.

"Come on, Namine," Riku said, holding out his gloved hand. "We have to go. We can't sit here and wait for them to bring us another fight."

"Let them bring it," Namine said, tossing the empty pad and grasping her head. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"H-hey," Riku said, immediately sensing he was treading unfamiliar territory. He walked over and picked up the blank pad and walked back, holding out to Namine. "Can't you just fill it with those memories again?"

"You don't understand anything, do you!?" Namine said, slapping it away. "No, I can't just 'fill it with those memories again.' I store the memories inside of the notebook so that I can establish a link with Sora's memories and alter them. Think about it. If you have a long chain of memories, all it takes is one missing link and the whole thing will collapse. And now there's way more than one missing link!"

"C-Can't you just go on and keep restoring the memories he does-"

"Do you want to risk him breaking? Are you willing to take responsibility for our one hero completely collapsing into a comatose state and possibly losing his heart and soul? Because I'm not!" Namine shouted, and then collapsed into a snivelling mess. "I don't care. I'm useless now. I can't help anyone. I can't help Sora. Just leave me."

Riku scowled. He'd had enough. It was time to start pushing back.

"That's not your call to make," he said. "Get up, Namine. It's not ending this way."

"This way, that way. Why does it matter? Sora's going to be stuck in that pod forever," Namine sniffed.

"No, he's not," Riku said, still holding his hand out. "Get up. We're going to meet up with DiZ. We're going to find a way to fix this."

"There is no way to fix this! Why don't you get that?" Namine said.

"You don't get to get off easy just because everything isn't going perfectly now!" Riku snapped, and Namine looked up at him in some mix of awe and horror. He cut her off before she could offer any form of rebuttal.

"You were right, Namine. I was being selfish by saying that I would just disappear into the darkness. And I was being weak by assuming that I would lose in the end. It's not that simple. Even if I'm hopelessly outmatched and even if I'm worn to my last breath, I have to keep fighting. Because it's not about me, is it? It's about making up for the mistakes I made, making it up to Sora and the King and... Kairi. I don't get to lie down and give up. So now it's time to walk the walk, Namine. We don't get to stop. Never. Not until we've repaid for what we've done a thousand times over. So stop crying, stand up, and let's go. We have to be strong," Riku said, the words just spilling from his mouth. His hand outstretched again, holding the sketchpad. Namine looked at it bleakly and looked back at Riku.

"I don't know if I can help him anymore," she said, voice barely above a whisper.

"You'll find a way," Riku assured her.

"You don't know that," Namine said, shaking her head and rubbing her eyes. Riku smiled wryly.

"I do. It's in your nature," he said. Namine looked up at him, blowing a small puff of air out her nose though her lips didn't so much as twitch upwards. She looked from the book to Riku once more and then grabbed hold of it. Riku smiled and held out his hand helping her back to her feet. They looked at each other for a moment, reveling in this one moment of triumph after miserable failure, this momentary connection, letting it override and numb the pain of their losses thus far.

"...Come on. We should put some distance between us and this spot before we rest," Riku said, beckoning with his head and turning to trudge painfully down the path. Namine smiled despite herself. She opened the notebook and found the rough sketch she had drawn only a few hours before. It was probably the only drawing that hadn't been torn out, whether because it was not from memory or because it was unfinished, she had no way of knowing. She looked between the drawing and Riku a few more times before smiling.

_You're full of surprises... Riku._

She erased the sketch, rendering the notebook completely blank.

_I look forward to learning about you._

* * *

_Wow, that was long. I considered splitting this chapter in half... but eh. Who cares? Not me. That's who._  
_Hopefully, the long chapter is a treat for you guys. I dunno... if for some reason it seems tedious to read, just tell me. I'll split chapters like this into smaller ones. Means more reviews for me then... Hopefully._  
_There was a good bit of action and dialogue in this chapter and some pretty significant developments. I think at least every 5 or so chapters you'll see one like this that's heavy with overarching plot._  
_In case it was vague in the story summary, I'd like to take the time now to say that Riku and Namine will be visiting several worlds on this journey. A few of them will be entirely unique. So... yeah. Look forward to that._  
_I'm rambling a bit because, quite frankly, I don't even remember how this chapter started it's so long. I'm not entirely sure what happened in it now. Hm. I hope it was something important. Ah. Whatever._  
_Happy belated Halloween everyone. Remember: people who review this story get an average of triple the candy that non-reviewers get..._  
_Prove me wrong._  
_-CrashingWorlds_


	5. The Foundation

_Well, that was my first decent gap between chapters. Sorry about that. Don't worry, I'm going to finish this story if it kills me. I've got to prove I can still finish stories._  
_In exciting news, two people have put this story on alert, and two people reviewed the last chapter. One person even did both! Things are picking up around here._  
_Anyways, I'm sure you've got things to do, so I'll cut this short._  
… _Review!_

Chapter 5: The Foundation

**Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is by far the best ending for one. - Oscar Wilde**

"Ngh," Riku grunted as pain throbbed through his body. Between the blue-haired freak, the neoshadows, the Snipers, and Xigbar, Riku had been worn to the bone these past few days. Every step stressed his wounds, and no matter how he shifted his weight, there was another bruise or cut that would ignite with blistering pain.

"Um... Riku, do you need any help?" Riku cast a questioning look at his companion, instantly regretting it as his shoulder burned.

"Uh... with what?" Riku said, trying to dismiss the matter.

"Well... you seem to be in a lot of pain. Do you want any help?" Namine said.

"...No thanks. I'm fine. It isn't too much farther, is it?"

"I guess. We're looking for a portal of sorts. It should be around here, but I don't know where exactly," Namine said, shrugging a bit. "Are you sure you don't want any help."

"Absolutely positive," Riku blew past his teeth as he forced himself to walk normally. Namine walked lightly behind him, eyeing him with some interest.

"...We can stop for a moment if you'd like," she said.

"I. Am. Fine. Namine. Stop worrying."

"I'm not worrying. I-I'm just concerned."

"What's the difference?"

"I... just... fine. Let's keep walking."

"Just like I said."

A few moment passed in terse silence. Riku was practically limping along at this point trying to play off each hiss and gasp as just a normal breathing pattern.

"Listen, Riku, I really think that-"

"Look, Namine, I appreciate it, but I'm perfectly fine and your... 'concern' … is totally unnecessary. So please, let's just focus on getting where we need to go," Riku said, shaking his head. Namine clamped her mouth shut and looked straight ahead.

Another few moments passed, the only sounds being the soft rush of the wind and the grit of their footsteps in the dirt path.

Riku reveled in the brief calm. His wounds didn't ache so much and the cool air left a refreshing sting on his skin. He let himself go in the serene atmosphere, for just a second letting go of his worries and cares, let go of his obligations and duties, let go of his regrets and sorrows, let go of his darkness...

...His darkness...

All at once, he could feel the chill shoot up his spine like ice water, and the blackness rushed up over him. He was there again, in the depths of his own heart, alone in the abyss. He could still feel the ground beneath his feet, but he couldn't so much as see his own hand.

Riku faltered for a step but continued walking, his eyes shot and fixed on where he felt his feet touch the ground.

_I can't panic... I can't be afraid... Just... just keep walking._

One step at a time, Riku moved forward, not sure whether he was aiming for a destination or an escape.

* * *

Namine eyed Riku as he walked. It was blatantly obvious he was in pain; not just a little and not just physically. And... well, much as it would bother Riku to admit, when Riku was mentally drained he was... dangerous.

Still, she wasn't about to say that directly to him. That would just anger him. And, as she had learned, Riku was also dangerous when he was angry.

It was several minutes before she could think of a solution.

"Riku, I need to rest for a moment," she said. He didn't even turn his head or hesitate in acknowledgement. He went right on walking.

"Hey! Riku! I'm serious!"

Did he know that this was just a facade to get him to rest? He couldn't. Well then, she would just have to do more.

"I'm stopping right here," she announced, following her own dictation. Riku went right on walking. "I'm not moving from this spot until I've rested up!"

No biting remarks. No scoffs. No inclination he had heard her. Nothing she said seemed to reach him. He was still moving right along, not paying her increasingly exasperated calls any mind.

She watched his steady march forward, her arms crossed and pent up frustration fast turning to rage. Her small shoulder shook with rage and just as he neared the edge of her vision she gave up and raced after him with full intent of giving her stubborn companion an earful.

"Look Riku, just because you say you're fine doesn't make it true. You need to rest now," she said, positively seething at that point.

Still nothing. It was unnerving, it was disquieting, and, above all, it was infuriating.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" Namine said, pushing her way in front of him. He paid her no mind and brushed her aside, but not before she finally got a look at his face.

It was pale, not abnormally or sickly, but still noticeably paler than his usual island tanned skin was. His jaw was tight and his face was eerily stoic. But the dead giveaway was in his eyes. They were distant and shrouded behind a fine mist, shaded and glassy. It was obvious nothing was registering in them. Riku was in a different place altogether.

"H-Hey. Riku. Snap out of it," Namine said, grabbing onto his arm. He moved along just the same.

"Hey! Riku! Wake up!" Namine shouted at him and shoved with all her strength. If that didn't work, she honestly had no idea what would.

* * *

Riku walked straight through the endless abyss, never sparing a glance back or even to the side. To look away would be to invite fear and doubt. To look away would be to show weakness. To look away-

A distant crack, like faint thunder, echoed across the world. Riku flinched for a moment but quickly regained his stride, paying it no mind as it began to echo closer and closer. The ground beneath his feet, the only anchor he had to hold to, was trembling beneath his feet, lurching to and fro. Riku never broke his stride and never turned his head, walking deeper and deeper into the shadow around him.

Now that the thunder was closer it was beginning to focus. It was a voice, muffled by a mass of angry white noise and the interference of its own reverberating echo. Still, it seemed relatively feminine.

Riku gasped as he found himself caught in the eye of the storm, surrounded by a vortex of sound and chaos. His breath seemed to escape him, and as he tried to walk he found himself crawling forward on all fours. He inched forward desperately, clawing through the darkness to find his way through.

Time stopped for a moment, and, like a bolt of clarity, the noise died and gave way to one solitary statement that rang around Riku like the ring of a bell.

"Wake up!"

Even as the words processed, Riku could feel the ground, his anchor, shatter beneath him and he was lost to the flow of darkness, his stride broken, the orderly path he had been taking now a chaotic whirling mass. He closed his eyes and resigned himself. There was no telling where he would end up now...

* * *

When Riku awoke, he was face down on soft grass with a mouthful of dirt. His eyes opened then closed again.

_I must have ended up in some parallel universe... An absurd universe... An absurdiverse..._

Suddenly, he felt himself lurching back again, and someone violently shaking him.

"Riku! Riku! Say something!"

_Namine? What are you... wait..._

"Dith thou juth thub me?" Riku said. Namine stood back and frowned.

"Um... what?"

Riku spat the dirt out of his mouth and shot upright, angry and scornful.

"I said, did you just shove me? What the hell is that about?" Riku said, balling his fist and swinging it to emphasize his point.

Bad move. His aches and pains came back like icy fire in his veins and he winced. But Namine was up and ready to go.

"You were somewhere else! Somewhere in the darkness! Don't try and pretend you weren't."

"I don't have to pretend I wasn't, because I wasn't!"

"Yes, you were! You weren't hearing a thing I said and you were walking like a zombie! You're exhausted and you need to rest!"

"What I need, Namine, is for the remainder of this trip to go by quietly and quickly," Riku snapped. "I'm not the deadweight out here, you are. If you don't have it in you to shut up and walk, then I'll just take us there with a dark portal because I'll be losing my mind either way."

Namine shrunk visibly and then glowered back at Riku silently. Riku had regretted his words the moment they had formed, but now wasn't the time to back down.

They stared at each other angrily for a long while, but finally Namine conceded.

"Fine," she said, and turned and began walking. Riku sighed and shook his head, walking forward. He had won the argument, but he certainly didn't feel like a winner. He knew she was just trying to help, but that in of itself was implying that Riku was weak. The road to hell was paved with good intentions, and it wasn't a road Riku was interested in taking. He was already set on the road to dawn.

As much as he wanted to be friends with her, she was a distraction. And that wasn't something he could afford.

* * *

The remainder of the trip continued in uncomfortable silence. There were, thankfully, no further confrontations, external or internal. They had been walking for somewhere near an hour when Riku felt the need to confirm they were still moving in the right direction.

"I thought you said the portal was nearby. Are you sure we're headed in the right direction?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he was treated to an icy glare.

"Feeling tired?" Riku's eyes narrowed in turn.

"Not in the slightest. I just want to make sure you have some idea of where you're going."

Namine turned and continued walking.

"There's faint traces of an otherworldly presence. It's been getting gradually stronger with time. My guess is, we'll find some form of portal around here though we may not know it from just looking at."

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Riku asked, his eyes skating around.

"Something that looks out of place. Something that doesn't seem like it should be from this world. Something-"

"Like that?" Riku interjected, nodding towards some object ahead. Namine squinted and stared to bring it into focus. Riku's eyesight was probably heightened by his dark powers because she could barely make out much more than a speck on the horizon. It was getting closer though, and it wasn't long before it came into full view.

It was a single car train, a bright, rich orange box adorned with gold and white standing out against the surrounding hills of green. Beneath it, train tracks were magically appearing along the dirt path before it.

"There's nobody on it," Riku said. Namine squinted harder to see through the glassy windows to confirm, that yes, it was an empty train. It began slowing as it drew closer and closer and Riku and Namine walked off the path to allow it room to stop, regarding the phenomenon with some wonder.

"So... is this just... how people travel between worlds now?" Riku said, inspecting the locomotive before him,. His hand touched the side and he could feel the magical power radiating from it.

"I wouldn't know," Namine commented, also looking it over with interest. Suddenly, the door opened with the faint hiss of steam. They looked through the doorway, inspecting it and seeing no lever or conductor of any form.

"Hey, wait," Riku said, grabbing onto Namine's wrist as she stepped into the doorway. He immediately released her but continued. "This is too surreal. We don't know where this came from or where it'll take it us. How can we trust it?"

"You're being paranoid," Namine said. "Get on the train."

"It's doesn't feel right," Riku said, glaring at the train. "It's way too convenient."

"Not everything is a struggle."

"It is with me."

"As I am beginning to find out," Namine said, rolling her eyes. "Riku, just get on. You wanted to get there as fast possible, right? This is our ticket. Just trust me."

Riku, who had been slowly convinced to get on the train, immediately recoiled at her final statement.

"Don't ever ask that from me again," he snarled, reacting much harsher than he intended. Hurt and pain crossed Namine's face, but she quickly hid it away.

"Fine. What do you suggest we do? Ignore the train car that just strolled up to us?"

Riku glowered at the train a little more before stepping on, more out of regret than actual reassurance.

"This is wrong. We're going to end up in the wrong place," Riku said.

"I'm sure," Namine said, walking over to a window and gazing out. The door closed and Riku took several deep breaths, trying to relieve his tension.

Namine continued to gaze out, as the train car began to chug along, moving through the barriers between the worlds, moving between the realms of light and darkness, leaving the world of her prison far behind.

* * *

"...This isn't Twilight Town," Namine muttered in mild alarm as the train pulled up aside a lone tower.

"What was that?" Riku said, his head snapping to look at her.

"Um, nothing," she said, smiling a bit too sweetly. Riku's head cocked to the side, as he looked up at the tower.

"I've got to admit, when you said 'Twilight Town' I assumed there would be an actual town," Riku said, making no attempt to hide the edge from his voice.

"I'm sure this is just something DiZ had arranged," Namine said, the confidence in her voice masking her own wavering confidence. She had no idea what this was. Riku just shook his head and walked up to the front door of the tower.

"Wait!" Namine called, but before she could say another word, Riku turned and gave her a deadpan look. She could see the message in his eyes as clearly as if he had spoken the words aloud.  
_You're not seriously going to tell me to wait now, are you?_

Namine sighed and followed after him.

As they entered they were met with a spiral staircase, one that spun all the way to the top of the tower. Riku began taking them, one step at a time, his eyes flitting around cautiously as he sniffed the air occasionally.

"Sense anything?" Namine asked, a bit tentatively.

"Something very powerful," Riku said. "I... I can't tell if it's light or dark. It doesn't feel hostile, though."

"How can you tell?" Riku shrugged and continued moving.

Finally, the duo reached the top, a set of wide doors blocking their way.

"Okay... Whatever it is, it's behind this door," Riku said, tensing a bit.

"Should we knock first? I mean, if it's an enemy we don't want to make it hostile."

"If we knock, then we'll give it a chance to prepare. I say we bust down the door."

"But if we do that, then it will definitely become hostile!"

"Look, we're already trespassing, we can't just stroll up to the door and-"

The doors flung open abruptly and Riku leaped back, summoning his Soul-Eater.

"...That's an interesting blade you have there, boy," a voice, deep and wise spoke from the room. Riku walked into the light of the room cautiously, his gaze fixed on the figure sitting behind the large wooden desk. His robes were long and blue, and his face bore a long, gray beard, which he was stroking thoughtfully. A pointed hat, adorned with stars and crescents, rested on his head.

"Oh yeah? What's so interesting about it?" Riku said.

"It bears many similarities to another weapon I am acquainted with," the elderly man continued. "One that I believe you are equally well acquainted with."

"...the Keyblade," Riku breathed, his grip tightening. Only two types of people knew about the keyblade: allies and enemies, and they were all dangerous.

"Indeed. However, it would seem that is but a shadow of its former self," the man continued, closing his eyes. Riku clenched his teeth and was about to make some objection when a timid voice spoke from behind him.

"Um... who are you?" Namine said. The man opened his eyes again, slowly nodding, apparently still deep in thought.

"I... am Master Yen Sid. Perhaps you have met my pupil, Mickey?" Riku gasped and choked and spluttered.

"Wait... you're the King's Master?" Riku said, his gasps turning into soft chuckles. "Nice try, old man, but you're gonna have to come up with a better story than that."

"Mickey told me you would be hard to convince, Riku," Yen Sid said calmly. "And that you would most likely resort to violence. Please don't try anything rash."

"Oh yeah, well... wait, how do you know my name?" Riku said, taken aback. "Has... has the King been here?"

"Yes... he came by a few days ago to inquire about the intentions of this... Organization XIII. He told me all about Sora and Kairi and DiZ... and you two," Yen Sid said. Riku looked at Yen Sid, a bit nervously, trying to understand what exactly his impression of him was. Yen Sid sighed.

"I do not pretend to approve of your path Riku. It is one that has proven far too dangerous for any warrior in the past. Yet, Mickey seems to trust you. I have cut any direct ties with the Worlds... leave the judgments to the new generation," he said. Riku regarded the man curiously, and nodded a bit in agreement.

"Thank you... sir," Riku said. Master Yen Sid looked across, regarding him. Then his gaze moved past to Riku to Namine who instantly shivered. She could feel his gaze penetrating her mind, seeing into her the way she saw into Sora.

"I see you are injured," Yen Sid said to Riku. "Please, go through the door on the side. The fairies will tend to you."

"Fai-...Thank you, sir," Riku said, thinking better of his wisecrack and moving to open the tall, wooden door into the next room. Yen Sid waved his hand and shut the door behind him, then returned his gaze to Namine.

"I also happen to know quite a lot about you," Yen Sid said, neither praising nor condemning. Namine opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to think of what to say before finally resigning to silence.

"And I take it you have not yet seen fit to inform the young man," Yen Sid continued.

"He hardly trusts me as it is," Namine said, eyes downcast. She couldn't imagine what he would think of her if she knew what she was...

"... That blade he wields... what is it called?" Yen Sid asked, after a moment of silence. Namine looked up at him confusedly before fumbling the recesses of her mind for the answer.

"I think... it was called Soul-Eater," Namine said. Either one of DiZ's long lectures or one of Sora's memories had told her that. Honestly, they just blurred into a mass of knowledge sometimes.

"Soul-Eater. Aptly named then," Yen Sid said, stroking his beard. "The keyblade is born from the strength and light of one's heart. But that blade is different. The fundamental idea is the same... but it is born of pain and regret. In short, it is born of his own internal conflict."

"So, you mean..."

"That blade is the result of a war. A war between the Riku that is, and the Riku that was supposed to be," Yen Sid said.

"So... the more he uses it, the more pain he'll go through?" Namine asked, staring at the door he'd passed through.

"The opposite, actually. As he is burdened with sorrow and fear, the blade will grow stronger. In the end... it may consume him," Yen Sid said. Namine gasped a bit.

"Well then... he should stop using it right away!" Namine said firmly.

"The blade is as much a part of him as his arm. He cannot simply dismiss it."

"But that doesn't mean he has to keep fighting-"

"Riku is a fighter, Namine. Just as you are a witch," Yen Sid said, and Namine flinched. "Apologies. I meant nothing by it."

"It's fine," Namine mumbled.

"He cannot stop fighting. There is only one path to his goal, and it requires him to fight," Yen Sid continued, still stroking his beard. Namine looked sorrowfully at the door again.

"So... there's no hope for him? The darkness will overtake him?" Yen Sid hummed and closed his eyes, pondering the question.  
"There is always hope... If the day comes when Riku turns his weakness into his strength... The day when the Riku that is and the Riku that was intended make peace... he will wield a power that will rival Sora's," Yen Sid said, his head bobbing in affirmation. Namine glanced at Yen Sid curiously.

"Why are you telling me all this?" she asked.

"...Riku was truly the prime candidate to wield the keyblade. The fact that he has survived as long as he has while in such close proximity to the darkness is testament enough to the strength of his heart," Yen Sid said. "And yet, Sora succeeded him by the bonds he made with his friends. Through those bonds, Sora managed to maintain his self as a Heartless... as I am sure you are aware."

Namine just nodded, her mouth feeling dry.

"In order to survive the year or so before Sora's awakening, Riku will need such a friend. Before he can find common ground within himself, he must find common ground with another. I would suggest Mickey... but he is otherwise occupied."

"...And... what? You think I'm going to be his friend?" Namine said. "I told you before, he hardly trusts me. I don't even know if we're on the same side half the time."

"The poor boy can't even trust himself and you expect him to trust you in a heartbeat?" Yen Sid, raising an eyebrow. Namine began frantically trying to find a reason to excuse herself from this task.

_Why is befriending him such a big deal? Is he that scary?_

"A-anyways, even if I could get him to trust me, I have things that I need to do! Sora isn't going to wake up on his own and I lost so many of his memories! I have to focus on doing what's best for Sora."

At this Yen Sid chuckled. Namine glowered at the wizened master.

"What's so funny?"

"While I don't claim to know Sora, from what I understand of the boy, I would think he would want the universe to be brimming with friendships."

Namine continued to glare at him, resenting him for being so darn right.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?" Namine asked.

"Nothing. I'm merely stating the truth. You might consider trying to understand him the next opportunity you receive. You may even learn some things about yourself. You two are more alike than either of you care to admit, I think."

As Namine opened her mouth to tell him exactly how much she didn't care to admit that, a fairy with a pointed hat, all clad in red fluttered into the room and rose to the top of the room.

"Sir, I'm afraid he's gotten quite hostile. We may have to-"

"Turn this back right now!" Riku snapped, storming into the room. His cloak was off revealing his old island attire. But instead of the usual blue pants and yellow tank top, his clothes were entirely red and pink.

"But dear, those clothes are simply-"

"Shut up! I don't care what you think! Change it back!" Riku growled angrily. There was a sudden smirking followed by uncontrollable laughter. Riku whipped angrily in the direction of the offensive noise to find Namine curled up into a ball on the floor, her body trembling with laughter.

His face immediately turned the same shade as the clothes he was wearing and he reiterated his statement to the fairy. It took much threatening and yelling before Riku had his clothes changed back, and by that point Riku wasn't sure how much of his pride had been left untainted.

"I shall arrange for the train to take you to Twilight Town. No doubt you are eager to finish this small piece of your journey," Yen Sid said, waving his hand. The whistle of the train could be heard clearly from outside the tower. "Riku, I may be old and stubborn, but please, do not hesitate to come to my tower if you ever find yourself in need of guidance or counsel."

"You honor me. Thank you, sir," Riku said, even making a small bow. Then Yen Sid turned to Namine.

"I have already given you my guidance. Perhaps you will consider it?" Yen Sid said, and Namine could almost hear him smiling. "Now, I think you have wasted enough time here. If you see Mickey, please direct him to me. I have much to discuss with him."

WIth that, Riku and Namine departed from the tower, the train following its tracks through the cosmos, stars and comets shooting by. Riku gazed out of the train, more relaxed and at peace than he had felt in what felt like forever.

Namine shyly eyed him out of the corner of her eye, trying to think of what she was supposed to say to him. Okay, so Yen Sid had done his wise guy "You are more alike than you think" speech, but that didn't mean she could see the similarities or the common ground. As far as she could tell from the past few days, they were at opposite ends of the spectrum. She was quiet and tame and he was bold and reckless. She was-

"What is it?" His voice interrupted her thoughts and as she came into focus she found she was staring right at him.

"What?" she asked, a bit confused.

"You've been staring at me. What is it?" Suddenly, Namine was on the spot.

"U-um, I... That is-"

"You're not very tactful, are you?" Riku said, leaning back in his seat. Namine flushed a bit and immediately went on the defensive.

"Yeah, well, neither are you."

"I'm tactless by choice. You just suck at it."

"I suppose you're obnoxious by choice, too?" Namine countered, and Riku smirked and looked out the window. He stared out it for a moment and then he said something, just barely audible.

"What?" Namine asked, straining to listen. Riku didn't turn his head, just cleared his throat and spoke again, louder this time.

"I... I'm sorry. About the trust thing. It's just... I haven't quite been able to get in the swing of things yet. I still don't even know if I'm doing the right thing," Riku said, running a hand through his hair and looking at her for approval. She studied him for a moment and finally smiled.

"Apology accepted." Riku turned again to look back out the window, trying to suppress the asinine feelings rising in him.

"Although, I was totally right about this train," Riku said, after a minute. Namine raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing bad happened."

"I never said anything bad would happen. I said that it wasn't going to take us to Twilight Town."

"It's taking us to Twilight Town right now!"

"Yeah. Now it's taking us to Twilight Town. But it didn't at first."

"So what?"

"So I was right. And you were wrong."

"You're unbelievable."

"Unbelievably right."

"Be quiet, Riku..."

"Is the sound of me being right too loud for you?"

"Shut up, Riku!"

"I can't help it if I'm right all the time."

"You were only right one time!"

"That's one more time than you,"

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Namine shouted, clamping her hands around her ears and looking up as if begging for mercy. Riku was chuckling to himself, and, whether or not Namine cared to say it out loud, she was more than a little amused as well.

_Yen Sid... I don't understand him. I haven't learned anything about myself. I still don't know how in the world I'm supposed to befriend him. And I certainly don't see how we're at all alike. I'm quiet and tame. He's bold and reckless... and annoying._  
_But I think... I''m starting to see why he's Sora's best friend. And maybe that's how it starts?_

"Hey, Namine? Has how utterly right I was stunned you into silence?"

This time, Namine laughed along with him. At the very least, this was a solid foundation.

* * *

"Gah... can't believe that punk," Xigbar said, clutching his side and grumbling along.

"Well? Now do you believe that Riku is of use to us?" Saix said. Xigbar scoffed and snorted.

"Actually, I'm just more convinced that you were covering your rear. If he could do this to me, he must have stomped the crap out of you," Xigbar said.

"It is plainly evident that that is not the case," Saix said, his voice calm even as his irritation infected the atmosphere.

"Not to me it ain't," Xigbar said, leaning onto the armrest of his throne and wincing again.

"Enough," Xemnas said from atop his throne. "Xigbar, what else do you have to report?"

"Well, like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, that kid slashed me up pretty good, but before that I took that witch's book of memories and scattered it. That'll throw a wrench in their plans for sure."

"You tore apart Namine's notebook? Are you aware-"

"No, no, elf lord. I didn't tear it, I scattered the pages. The memories are all intact, they're just... widely distributed," Xigbar said. "That'll stall them and it'll force Riku to strike out on his own into the worlds to collect them. Once they find out that the memories are out there. That alright, boss?"

He pointedly looked up to Xemnas, ignoring Saix altogether.

"Fine," Xemnas said. "In fact... how is Vexen's replica puppet developing?"

* * *

_Welp. There you go. Nothing significant happened this chapter._  
_Well, I guess that's an overstatement... but after the duel with Xigbar, I'm guessing this wasn't exactly what you wanted. I wanted to include a chapter that dealt more with Namine's development early since I think the focus later in the story might shift entirely to Riku's character._  
_If it's any reassurance, the next chapter... is also going to be kind of the same, more exposition and stuff. But after that, Riku and Namine will be off on the main quest. Hopefully, that will be a full and satisfying adventure for everyone._  
_Anyways, I've got Finals to study for. I'll get the next chapter up sometime in the next month or so... unless the world ends._  
_Did you know every time this story gets a review, it decreases the chance of the world ending by 5%?_


	6. The Journey

_Well, happy holidays everyone, this chapter has been giving me quite a bit of grief. I'm just not very good with day to day situations. Or dialogue really. I don't really know how people talk in actual conversations, this is just how I think dialogue is supposed to go._

_**Xire**__: I definitely plan on continuing it all the way to the end, rest assured. It might take me a while, but I'll get there. I promise. And I totally agree, this pairing just isn't shipped enough._

_**Guest**__: I'm glad I made somebody laugh with all that talking, I was just throwing some random humor in there so people don't get bogged down with all the serious talk in the last few chapters. Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming. You're my main source._

Ch. 6: The Journey

**The best way out is always through. - Robert Frost**

"...What is this world?" Riku said, his head slowly turning as his eyes absorbed it all. He had been to the end of the worlds and back and he had never seen anything quite like what was laid before him.

It was a small little town, nestled comfortably in the orange glow of sunset. The roads were paved with auburn tiles and the marketplace had a calm stillness to it, like a tentative but peaceful quiet that evoked emotion too deep to disturb.

It was so... so...

"It's fantastic, isn't it?" Namine said, walking around, inspecting everything.

_Actually, it's kind of dull _Riku thought but wisely kept it to himself.

"Haven't you been here before?" Riku asked, just tagging along absentmindedly at this point. He had to admit, after the last few weeks, this was an acceptable change of pace... at least, for the time being.

"Mmm. No. Well..." Namine said, thinking it over. Riku raised an eyebrow and Namine gave an awkward smile. "No."

"Really had to think about that one," Riku said, a bit warily.

"Oh! Let's get on," Namine said, pointing to a tram that was making a steady weave through the plaza.

"Shouldn't we be..." Riku said, about to object, but she had already taken off, grabbing the rail of the car as it moved past and hopping on the back platform. Riku rolled his eyes, and followed, taking a quick dash and a long jump onto the car, right alongside Namine. "-looking for DiZ?"

Namine turned around, watching the town moving behind her, her hair swaying in the soft winds. "I'm not really sure where he is, to be honest. That's why we'll just have to explore."

Riku eyed her for a moment, his own silver hair bristling just slightly in the wind before leaning on the railing.  
"So, really... what is this town? It feels so... different. Nostalgic, even."

"It's a town nestled between the realms of light and darkness. Just like Castle Oblivion was. Well... obviously, it's not just like Castle Oblivion but..."

"How are there people here?" Riku said, his gaze suspiciously flitting from person to person as they went through what was presumably their daily life. "They should have been devoured by the Heartless and all those other things. And speaking of which, what are those Nobodies supposed to be-"

"Slow down. One question at a time," Namine said, giving a small nervous laugh. Riku's distrustful gaze flitted to her.

_There's something she's not telling me _he thought, but as he saw her begin to squirm under his stare he quickly softened it and looked away.

"Anyways, I really don't know exactly why there are people here. I think it's probably because this world is still really close to the light. I'm pretty sure we can travel directly from here to other worlds without a dark portal," Namine said, musing to herself.

"And the Nobodies?" Riku asked, after a moment's pause. Namine smiled and shrugged again.

"Eh... DiZ would probably... he'd be better at explaining it," she said, finishing her statement on a strangely sad note. One that Riku didn't pick up.

"DiZ is just going to call me an idiot and blow me off," Riku said, pressing further. "At least give me the gist of it. You said something about 'only the strong of heart' or... something like that."

Namine sighed and stared back at the town for a short while, contemplating exactly how to explain it best.

"A Nobody... well... have you read Ansem's reports?" Namine asked, casting a sidelong look at Riku. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Can't say that I have," he said.

"Oh... well, basically, there's three parts to a person: heart, body, and soul," Namine said, hunching over the railing. "When... when a person is attacked by the Heartless or darkness infests their hearts, the pieces split. The heart drifts into the realm of darkness, and gives life to Shadows and other Heartless. Now, if a person has a strong enough heart, then the leftover shell... the body and soul... become a Nobody."

"And how does the Organization fit into all this?" Riku said. Namine took a deep breath.

"Even among strong hearts, there's clearly hearts that far outstrip the rest. When a nobody is born from a person of an exceptionally strong heart, they retain their forms and memories even as they lose their hearts. The emptiness gives them great power... but at a great cost."

Riku paled a bit and leaned back against the car, off of the railing, taking it all in slowly, his hand moving to hold his head.  
"So... you're saying that... Organization XIII... they're-"

"A group comprised of 13 of the strongest Nobodies in existence," Namine said, beginning to tremble a little. "13 incomplete people, searching for their hearts at all costs... seeking to be whole again..."

Riku studied her for a moment, watching her intense gaze, the cold sweat on her palms. She was clearly too sympathetic for her own good. A person couldn't get worried over these things. Especially when they had clearly chosen their side.

Still... standing back from his biases, he had to admit, he could see where the Organization might be coming from.

"That's... depressing," Riku said, more of a flippant remark about the overall mood of the conversation than the actual state of the Organization. Still, before he could add anything else to clarify, Namine had whipped her head around to look at him, her eyes brimming with some emotion that he couldn't quite identify. Sadness? Relief? Either way, it was too strong for comfort, and Riku would have looked away had he not been entirely transfixed by her gaze, her deep blue eyes seeming to reach out and draw on him-

The car jolted to a sudden stop and Riku stumbled over, almost losing balance entirely, only saving himself by decisively leaping to solid ground. Namine, who hadn't let go of the rail, gingerly stepped off, trying to peek around the car. Riku dusted his cloak off and followed suit. There were loud voices coming from the front of the train. Some altercation, blocking its path.

"What the hell, Seifer!? What the actual hell!? You literally just threw me under the bus," a rambunctious young man snapped. Riku cocked his head as he watched the scene. The obnoxiously loud voice was coming from a kid with blonde hair like a rat's nest who was, indeed, sprawled out on his back on the track, just in front of the car. He was holding some type of plastic weapon in his right hand, with a golden handle and a rounded blue cylinder attached.

A similar weapon was pointed down at him, by a slick kid wearing a black beanie over white blonde hair, presumably the one called 'Seifer.' On either side of the confrontation was two more people backing each respective party, though the tension was stemming from the two centerpieces.

"Clearly, I didn't, since I can still hear that irritating noise coming from your mouth," the one called Seifer said, his voice condescending and smug from his position of power. "Anyways, it's not like I was the one who picked this fight."

"Well, it sure as hell sounded like you did and you weren't all too reluctant to get it on anyways," the blonde said, still infuriated.

"That's what she said," a rather broad character commented from behind him.

"Geh- Shut up, Pence! Whose side are you on?"

"I don't run from the chance to clean trash like you off the streets. So why don't you just get up and run along before I scrape you off the floor like the loser you are?" Seifer said, and Riku had to smirk. Witty banter and fake sword fights. This place was very nostalgic.

"Someone should help," Namine said, and Riku nodded absentmindedly. They stood there for a moment in silence, listening to the escalating argument before Namine looked pointedly at Riku and raised an eyebrow.

"Well?" she asked. Riku jolted back and gazed at her confusedly.

"What?"

"Someone would be you."

"Why do I need to help? Come to think of it, why does anybody need to help? It's just guys being guys."

"Guys just beat up guys like this?"

"You've looked at Sora's memories, haven't you? This sort of stuff happens all the time."

"I don't know... this isn't for fun or anything. It seems pretty mean-spirited."

"You're paranoid," Riku said, shaking his head. "It'll be fine. C'mon. DiZ is going to get pissed."

Namine chewed her lip for a moment before giving a light but firm stamp. "I'm going to go help. And you can stay here if you like." WIthout waiting for any approval, she began marching right for the heart of the conflict.

"Wait! Namine! We shouldn't be attracting attention to ourselves! We're supposed to interfere with the worlds as little as possible!" Riku called after her. He didn't receive any form of acknowledgement that he had been heard. All he could do was watch his small, frail companion dive right into the heat.

* * *

"Oh yeah!? Well, you're mother-"

" 'Scuse me," Namine said, stepping in between the blonde-haired kid and Seifer.

Hayner immediately clamped his mouth shut and Seifer raised both his eyebrows, giving a small whistle as he looked Namine up and down.

"...Who the hell are you supposed to be?" a silver-haired girl snapped from behind Seifer.

"Quiet, Fuu!" Seifer snapped, and then sweetened his voice a little. "Can I help you, miss?"

Namine, having little experience with social situations, found that in the quick change of pace, she had entirely lost her nerve.

"U-um... I... I just... I," she stammered out, but Seifer reached out and took her hand.

"What's your name? Are you lost or something? I could show you around," he said. A dark aura emanated from the girl behind him but he brushed it off entirely.

"What? N-no, I-I just-"

"Quit hitting on her, Seifer, you're just gonna freak her out," the blonde kid said, finally standing up and moving off the track to confront Seifer directly (much to the relief of the forgotten driver of the tram).

"What was that!?" Seifer said, unconsciously squeezing Namine's hand a bit too tightly. "You want to go again, Hayner?"

"Ow, I... H-Hey wait, please-"

"Bring it on you jackass!"

"Please, guys-"

"Apparently, I gotta kick your punk ass again!" With that, Seifer pulled Namine out of the way, and lashed out at Hayner with a vicious thrust. Hayner barely sidestepped and swung back wildly. Seifer hopped back twice, and then jumped high into the air, aiming a diving strike at Hayner with chilling accuracy.

"Please, stop!" Namine said, stepping right between Hayner and Seifer, bracing herself for the impact of the weapon.

"What the- Agh!" was what she got instead, and her eyes cracked open just in time to see Riku almost casually stopping the lunging bat with one hand and tossing its wielder to the side with a flick of the wrist. Seifer, who had been aiming for a winning blow, was now sprawled out on the ground, much as Hayner had been.

"Will you ever listen to me?" Riku said, giving an exasperated look to Namine, who just smiled sheepishly in response. He shook his head and turned just in time to move out of the way of a savage swing from Seifer.

"Whoa, now, let's settle down," Riku said, ducking and dodging with relative ease. "No need to get so violent."

"You want to see violent? I'll show you violent!" Seifer spat, and as if on cue, his tanned and muscled friend tossed another plastic weapon his way, which he snatched without a single backwards glance and swung forward. Riku pivoted around so that he and Seifer were on opposite sides, and resumed as they had before, Riku twisting and turning away from every attack.

"Hey! Use the struggle bat!" the blonde kid called out.

_The what? _Riku thought to himself as he weaved around the flurry of blows. As successful as he'd been thus far, this Seifer kid's swings were sharp, powerful, accurate, and they didn't appear to be diminishing in any respect despite going on for well over a minute. It was taking quite a bit of concentration to avoid them all.

"Use it! The one you took from him!"

_Oh, this thing?_ Riku thought, noting the plastic weapon he was still holding by the end. _Well, I guess...  
_  
At the next swing, Riku made a light jab forward, but the golden tip just glanced away and Seifer bat struck home at Riku's temple, knocking his head sideways.

_What a load of crap! This stupid thing is useless! The grip is all wrong and everything! How are you supposed to accomplish anything with an idiotic design like this?  
_  
"No! You're holding it upside down! The golden part is the handle!"

_...I must never speak of this with Sora...  
_  
As Seifer wound up for another storm of blows to take advantage of the opening, Riku easily tossed the struggle bat in the air, grabbed it by its handle, and swung down. It struck right at the crook of Seifer's neck with a loud bang, and Seifer crumpled back, a giant red patch forming at the point of impact.

"You... you... you'll regret this!" Seifer said, scrambling up and scowling. He and his two friends scampered off, running through the plaza, away from their assailant.

"Huh... he forgot this," Riku said, tossing the bat around again. He took a heavy step and hurled it straight forward, letting it tear through the air like a true Strike Raid. It moved right between Seifer and Fuu, striking off the stairs they were about to run up. Seifer looked back, slightly alarmed, and Riku waved. Seifer picked up the bat and continued right along, perhaps a little faster. Riku sighed and folded his arms, putting on his best angry face as he turned around to face Namine, who, unfortunately for Riku, still had the same sheepish smile.

_Damn it, Riku, you're supposed to be angry. Angry, Riku. At least irritated... or mildly cross. Damn it.  
_  
"I'm the one who has to deal with all the fallout when you run off and meddle," Riku said, cocking his head, barely maintaining his serious gaze.

"Shouldn't you thank me then? Think how boring your job would be if I wasn't here," Namine laughed, and Riku just shook his head, trying his best to disguise the grin breaking across his face as anything but genuine amusement.

"Just say it!" another female voice said sternly, distracting the two of them. It came from the blonde's second friend, a girl with brown hair dressed in an orange top with white flowers and yellow shorts. "Man up and say it, Hayner."

"Alright, alright!" the blonde kid said, throwing up his arms and turning to face Riku. So Hayner was his name. "Look, I... if that went on I probably would've... anyways, I just wanted-"

"Don't mention it," Riku said, avoiding eye contact. Then he looked over to Namine. "We've messed around long enough."

"...Right," Namine sighed. It was true, she had mostly just intervened for the experience after being isolated and hidden away for so long. But she couldn't feel like this experience was missing something.

"H-Hey wait. You're leaving already?" Hayner asked. Riku sighed, and continued to avoid eye contact.

"We've got an appointment to keep. Gotta keep moving," Riku said, closing his eyes, a bit tiredly. What time was it anyways?

"Hey, man, what's your deal? You can't just drop in like that and then ignore me! Why don't you look- agh!" Hayner cried out as the brunette girl grabbed him by his ear and pulled him aside. "What the hell, Olette. What kind of-"

"Please ignore him. What he meant to say was that we're very thankful that you showed up when you did and we'd love to buy you something to eat before the shops all close," she said, smiling sweetly. Riku spared her a short glance.

"I appreciate it, but it's not necessary, and like I said, we have an-"

"Oh, but we insist! Please! We won't feel right if you say no!" Olette said, grabbing on to Riku's hand. He frowned deeply and turned to stare down at Olette, trying to intimidate her into releasing him, only to be met with a determined and steady gaze.

"...Please, Riku?" A voice just barely breaking a whisper. It seemed like Riku only managed to hear it thanks to his enhanced senses since Olette didn't so much as flinch her gaze as Riku stared over at the source of the soft words.

Namine was blushing furiously and staring at her feet, her hands crossed behind her back. She seemed thoroughly flustered by the extensive attention and interaction in normal life.

… Normal life... come to think of it, Namine had been locked away in Castle Oblivion for well over a year. The concept of 'normal life' was only something she had ever experienced in Sora's memories. To Riku, accepting the offer was a distraction and an act of vanity. To Namine, it was an entirely new adventure.

...Well, it wasn't like DiZ is one to differentiate between fashionably late and really late.

"Fine," Riku said, shaking his head again, and Olette gave a happy little squeal. Hayner and Pence also broke out grinning as they began leading the way. They immediately fell in line with Namine, bombarding her with questions as Riku stayed a few steps behind, watching her and Olette a bit irritably.  
Why are all the people I meet so stubbornly persistent?

"Hey, so I never did catch your name buddy. Bro. Pal," Hayner said as he and Pence fell back a few steps to match Riku's stride, and he inwardly groaned.

* * *

"...and then I told him 'That's not what your mother said last night' and he took offense to that," Hayner said, beaming proudly. Pence shot a spitball through his straw which nestled itself quite neatly in the mess of blonde hair upon Hayner's head but he kept right along blabbering about his war stories.

"Anyways, that's how come Seifer was trying to pull a fast one on me," Hayner concluded, unaware of the gradually accumulating landfill in his hair.

"You know, pulling a fast one is more like trying to trick you or something. Seifer was pretty straightforward about the whole thing. It's not like he was secretly plotting behind your back, he just kinda tried to kick your ass," Pence said.

"For a slow mind like Hayner's, that's pulling a fast one," Olette said, and the two of them burst out laughing, Hayner crossing his arms irritably. Namine giggled and even Riku gave a lazy half-smile.

"You guys suck," Hayner said, hunching over. "And how the hell did all this crap get in my hair!?"

"Wow, Hayner, only took you ten minutes to notice," Pence said, and Hayner nearly turned and swung at this friend right there and then.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go clean this shit out. Some friends you guys are," he said, stomping off.

"Don't worry about him, he'll be fine in a minute," Olette said, finishing her drink. "Anyways, you two are a quiet pair. Why don't you tell us about yourselves?"  
Riku and Namine immediately looked at each other for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. Not wanting to spend too much time staring in silence, Riku finally shrugged.

"Not much to tell really. Pretty ordinary people."

"I'm sure you are. How old are you guys anyways?" Olette said.

"15," Riku said, not thinking much on the consequences. He turned his head and looked expectantly at Namine, realizing he had never asked or cared how old she was before.

"...I-I'm 14," she mumbled after a long pause. Olette clapped her hands together.

"Oh! We're all 14, too! What school do you guys go to?"

Riku and Namine shared another look, this time, a very confused one.

"Um... school?..." Namine asked.

"We're homeschooled," Riku said before Olette could pursue Namine's awkward reply. "We were going to try and meet up with our teacher when we met up with you guys and somebody decided to stick her nose where it doesn't belong."

"Aw, wait, so you guys don't have any summer homework or anything then?" Pence said, his jaw hanging in disbelief. RIku just shrugged again. Pence shook his head and gazed at them enviously. "Damn. We have to go back in a week or so. It's taken us forever just to figure out what we're doing for our summer project."

Pence stared at Riku almost expectantly, waiting for a question that never came. Riku had just about lost it. It wasn't that he didn't like this new group. He just had too many thoughts of DiZ, anger slowly building to a rage that could tear whole worlds asunder. And he would lash out and hit where it hurts, with no remorse or mercy. He would hit at the truth. While Sora was asleep, Riku was here wasting time with meddling and trivial nonsense. DiZ had left a lasting impression in his mind.

"Um... so what are you doing for your summer project?" Namine finally asked, her voice still small. Pence let his gaze linger on Riku for a bit longer so Olette picked up the slack on the other side of the table.

"Well, you see it's... how long have you two been in Twilight Town?" she asked, her eyes flitting between the pair. Namine looked to Riku for a brief second to confirm he was still out of commission before answering herself.

"Um... not long. We pretty much just arrived which is why we were in such a rush to find our... teacher," Namine said, trying to nudge Riku awake with her foot. The moment her sandal caught his leg, his head snapped up and he glared at Namine furiously who immediately sunk into her chair.

"Uh... well, you may not know it about this world, but there's a lot of strange things that go around here," Pence said, trying to feign ignorance of the tension in the air. Just then, Hayner stumbled back from the bathroom.

"You telling them 'bout our project?" Hayner asked lazily, combing his hand through his hair to free it of any remaining trash. Pence grinned and nodded. Hayner didn't have to pretend to be ignorant.

"Yep. Just getting into the strange things about Twilight Town," Pence said, and Hayner grinned.

"It was my idea really. There's a lot of rumors that float around here about crazy stuff happening. Like ghosts and doppelgangers and haunted mansions," Hayner said, beaming. "We're gonna call them The 7 Wonders of Twilight Town' and we're gonna investigate all of them."

_What kind of idiotic summer project is this?_ Riku thought to himself. _Wait a minute..._

"What was that you said?" Riku said, rising a little and interrupting Hayner.

"Uh, I said we're gonna call them The 7 Wonders-"

"No, no! Before. You said something about ghosts and doppelgangers and something else," Riku said, now towering over the table.

"Uh, haunted mansions. Yeah, there's a mansion out a little ways in the forest outside the town walls. It's been abandoned for a long time but nobody seems to say anything or go anywhere near it," Hayner said, shrugging. Riku's eyes narrowed and he cast a glance over at Namine who flinched.

"Thanks for the food, but it's time we went off," Riku said, stepping back from the table and dusting off his cloak.

"But you hardly even touched it!" Olette protested, but Riku had already turned heel and started stalking off.

"I-I'm sorry, this is my fault," Namine said, standing up and bowing.

"Is he always such a prick?" Hayner asked and Olette hit him hard in the shoulder.

"We're sorry to have kept you," she said, smiling at Namine. "I hope we can meet again when you're not in such a rush."

"I hope so, too," Namine said, making another small bow before turning around and running after Riku.

"Oh, wait!" Olette cried out too late to catch Namine's ear. "Darn... I never even asked them what their names were!"

"Feh," Hayner said. "That silver-haired guy... he seemed like such a high and mighty bastard."

"Really? I think he's just a bit quieter than the rest. A little mysterious," Olette said, resting her head on her hand. "...So, do you think that they're... you know?"

"What? No way. Not a chance in hell. Why would you even-... Oh, really now Olette? Are you serious? 'A little mysterious' she says. God," Hayner said, as realization dawned. Olette blushed and hit Hayner again.

"Sh-shut up!" she said as she and Hayner immediately launched into a heated argument while Pence just filled the background with his laughter.

* * *

"Now I know what this place is," Riku said the moment Namine fell into step. "Now I know why I feel like I've been here before. It's because I have been here... just the once in Castle Oblivion. That was the floor where I had to fight my Replica. I remember it vividly. I fought him right outside the gates to a mansion. And inside the mansion... I met you," Riku said, glaring at Namine a bit who just cast her eyes downwards. "You knew, of course. You knew exactly where DiZ was and how to get to him from the second we got to this world."

"I'm sorry," Namine mumbled.

"You're sorry? You're-" Riku cut himself off before he went farther than he wanted to and sighed. "Look, I get it. You've locked away in a castle and you're finally free again. Believe me, I know how that feels. But we've got way too much to do and we're racing the clock here. We don't have time for exploring, alright?" Namine just nodded numbly.

"Ugh... and now DiZ is going to grill me alive... damn it," Riku muttered under his breath as he maneuvered around the town. "Which way to the mansion from here Namine?"

"Th-this way," she said, leading down a street to the left. Eventually, they reached a wall with a hole broken in it. Riku sniffed the air from the forest and grimaced.

"There's definitely darkness in their. It's not a strong scent, but it's steady and it's everywhere. Why haven't they sealed up this hole yet?"

"Maybe they can't," Namine said, and Riku gave her a confused glance. "I-I mean, maybe the people just break it open again. They seem to have some attachment to it."

"Feh. A town attached to its own darkness. How poetic," Riku scoffed and climbed through the whole. He sighed and breathed in deeply. "The air here... it's so still."

"Yes... I suppose it is..." Namine said, walking with him through the trees. Many minutes passed by in the quiet of the forest as they slowly worked their way through.

"H-Hey, Riku?" Namine said. "I... I really am sorry. I just... I just wanted to-"

"I know, Namine," Riku sighed. "I know. But it really doesn't help me at all so just keep it to yourself for now."

Namine could practically feel her words being taken and forced back down her throat, leaving a twisted knot feeling in the pit of her stomach.

_Everytime I think we're about to be friends... something like this has to happen. And it's my fault this time. I can't blame this one on somebody else. Master Yen Sid... you've definitely picked the wrong person for this job.  
_  
Namine walked straight into Riku's back and he hissed in irritation.

"Wake up, Namine," he said. She stepped back and looked around. They weren't at the mansion yet.

"Something's coming," Riku said, drawing his Soul-Eater.

"Maybe it's DiZ?" Namine said. Riku rolled his eyes.

"Keep dreaming."

At his words, a pack of Dusks rose from the forest grounds, writhing and squirming about.

"What the... are these more Nobodies?" Riku said, fending one off with a quick swipe.

"Yeah... these are Dusks. They're like the pawns," Namine said, crouching and shielding herself.

"Pawns, eh?" Riku said, licking his lips. "Then I'm guessing... you won't give me too much trouble, right!?"

He charged forward and, true to his word, easily dispatched two of them with one masterful stroke of blade. However, the rest began to float about and swarm him and he very quickly found himself surrounded.

"Riku! Get behind them!" Namine shouted from the safety of a tree. "If you can get behind them fast enough you'll confuse them!"

"How the hell does that make any sense?" Riku said, dodging a flurry of blows from one.

"Look, I don't know, just do it," Namine said, and Riku sighed and fixed his sight on the nearest Dusk as it approached with another one just by its flank. It rose up into the air, almost in slow-motion, and then lashed out with its long arms swiftly. WIth the darkness guiding his step, Riku easily slid around the first Dusk, leaving it dazed and confused. He knocked the one beside it back with a quick burst of dark energy and then slashed clean through the stunned Dusk, leaving it to disintegrate. The Dusk that had been knocked back lunged at Riku's back and, without so much as a glance at his assailant, Riku had pivoted and slid around the Dusk and cleaved it with a backhanded slash.

"Alright... I've got you now," Riku said, crouching and stretching his legs. "...And you know what? I think I can go a little faster."

In a frenzied dance, Riku twisted and wove his way through the pack of Nobodies, expertly knocking them flailing through the air, side to side. One of them slithered up to him, aiming an attack for his knee. He quickly flipped forward over it, rolled forward on the ground and lunged to stab through one Dusk before leaping into the air and bringing his blade down on the Dusk that had just attempted to attack him. The darkness gathered on his blade, and as he struck earth, the energy erupted around him, doing significant damage to most of the pack of Dusks.

"Heh. Come on then! Is this all the Organization has?" Riku said, grinning and resuming his fighting stance. One of the Dusks facing Riku roared and immediately began worming its way through the air to strike him. Riku stepped forward, already preparing to cut his foe open when suddenly his heartbeat amplified, like a single deafening pulse.

He hesitated just a moment on his swing and the Dusk collided right into him, knocking him back. Riku flipped backwards to keep his footing, and clutched at his chest involuntarily.

_No, no, no... not right now..._Riku thought, trying to focus and contain his darkness. Sensing their advantage, the Dusks began to drift forward, closer and closer. Riku focused on his breathing and heartbeat, trying to soothe the beast inside him to a quiet sleep. However the quickest of the Dusks began to take lazy lashed at him. He gritted his teeth and swayed out of the way, but the rocking made the beast rear its head and roar. As one Dusk made a zealous strike for Riku, he ducked and dove to try and separate himself from the pack. He tried to regain his footing quickly, but they were on him in a hurry. One of them managed to score a solid strike on his hip and he collapsed to one knee. They closed in on him, like vultures on a wounded animal.

_Fuck, you've got to be kidding me_ Riku thought to himself. _Of all the things to drive me over the brink... Namine had better run...  
_  
Namine looked on from the tree in horror, trying to think of anything she could do. She was no fighter. Her memory magic was useless on Dusks who had no minds or memories to begin with.

_I'm so useless_ she thought, holding her head. _First the notebook, now this. I'm can't get anything right.  
_  
There was a rustling in the leaves behind her, and she whipped around quickly to see DiZ before her, his red garb glaring out against the greenery.

"DiZ! It's Riku! He-" Namine said, but her eyes were drawn to a small spherical device in DiZ's hand. "Wh-What is that?"

DiZ gave a half shrug and sighed.

"I apologize for this," he said. Before Namine could say anything more, DiZ had pressed a button on the side of the black orb. Immediately, lines of blue lit up along the surface of the orb and a low whine emitted from it. Abruptly afterwards, the device unleashed a wave of blue energy, rushing throughout the forest.

As the wave passed through Namine, she was immediately glad she hadn't eaten anything for lunch because she was forced to her knees, doubled over and retching. Some spit and bile came out, leaving a taste of pure metal in her mouth as she coughed and spluttered. Her skin was burning and freezing at the same time, her mind scrambled and confused and every fiber of her being screamed for her to run, to flee, to go far away. The world was spinning around her for a long while as she tried to collect herself. It felt as though her blood had become poison, her lungs were filled with ash, and her stomach was solid steel. It felt like every part of her body had died, like her body was trying to reject itself.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the effects began to fade and diminish. Her mind settled down, and the pain and discomfort began to heal. She stopped coughing and she looked up from her knees.

"Y-You... What did you... do to me?" Namine managed between deep gasps. DiZ gave another half shrug.

"A simple device I invented. It rejects Nobodies. Repels them. Quite useful, actually. Sadly, stronger Nobodies can resist its effects. Imagine defeating Organization XIII with a few simple spheres of technology," DiZ said, chuckling a bit to himself.

"You... you," Namine said, fury building inside her small body.

"You what? Don't pretend to be angry Namine. On top of being impossible, it's entirely unreasonable. You know full well what would have happened if we let Riku lose himself," DiZ said, giving a small nod. Namine turned around to see him, standing absolutely still, incredibly engrossed in the rise and fall of his chest. Her gaze softened a bit. Every time he swung that blade, it drained him, made him weaker. But it couldn't be helped. That was what he did. It was almost all he was good for. It was kind of pathetic.

_Just like me _Namine realized, as her fingers leafed through her sketchpad, aching for the missing pages.

"The two of you are quite a bit later than I expected," DiZ said. "Significantly. Later."

"We... we ran into some obstacles," Namine said, still looking at Riku, as his eyes darted around a bit until finally he breathed a sigh of relief. "I-It's my fault."

"I don't pretend to care whose fault it is. The simple fact is, you are late and we are behind schedule," DiZ said, irritation thinly veiled in his voice.

"If being behind schedule bothers you, then you're going to be super pissed in a moment," Riku said, stepping up to the pair of them. His gaze turned to Namine and she squirmed a bit. "...Why are you on the floor?"

"Huh? O-oh I, um, tripped over a root," Namine said, jumping to her feet quickly, only to feel all the blood rush from her head as a sickening dizziness overtook her, she stumbled forward and Riku caught her by the arm, scoffing a bit.

"Figures. I keep telling you to leave all the physical activity to me," Riku said, steadying her with a grim smile.

"Yeah," Namine said, smiling back. DiZ caught her eye with a questioning gaze and she averted her eyes.

"What was that blue flash? I saw it go off and then the Nobodies just fled," Riku said, turning to DiZ.

"Nobody repellent. I suppose you'd better explain yourself, though I don't know why I should care for your idiotic excuses," DiZ said, turning heel and walking into the mansion. "Walk and talk."

"I am so dead," Riku said under his breath to Namine. "Well... after we left Castle Oblivion..."

* * *

"... And that's when you showed up," Riku finished as they entered into the mansion. They stood at the foot of a flight of stairs, Riku leaning against the railing, Namine sitting on the first step, and DiZ staring at the front door.

"...When this man... Xigbar... took the pages from your notebook... did he tear them apart or did he simply rip them out of the notebook?" DiZ said, deep in thought.

"Um... I'm pretty sure he just tore them out of the notebook. I could be wrong though. I was-" Namine stopped herself from using the word "scared," remembering who she was talking to. "-distracted."

"It would make more sense for them not to destroy them... they want to use Sora, not destroy him," DiZ said, rubbing his chin.

"W-Well?" Namine said, growing anxious. "What does that mean for us?"

"If the pages are still intact, then they have been merely scattered to the worlds. We need to revive Sora. We need the pages to do that. The pages are on other worlds. The only plausible path from this point is to visit other worlds and recollect them," DiZ said.

"Wait, what?" Riku said, staring at DiZ. He glanced at Namine who was likewise confused. "We're going to other worlds?"

"You and Namine are, yes," DiZ said. "She might be able to easier find the scattered pages since she was the one who created them. And as for you... well, I would say you could provide protection but at this point, let's just say I'd rather have you doing nothing away from me."

Riku bristled and calmed instantly. Given the circumstances, he had received a relatively light tongue lashing. He may as well let DiZ have just the one.

"You mean that we can still restore Sora?" Namine said, tears practically welling in her eyes. She could still fix her mistakes?

"You will report back to here when you have found new pages or any important news on the Organization," DiZ said. "And if you ever need sanctuary. This town is relatively peaceful compared to the other worlds, despite the occasional Heartless. Or Nobodies. Though, when you are here, I'd like you to work on finishing up all of Sora's other memories. There's no time for idling about. At any rate, it's late enough to where you may as well waste one more night before you run off. Riku, there's a bedroom upstairs to the right. Namine, the drawing room is upstairs to the left. I will be in the basement."

With that, the cloaked man had turned heel to leave but Riku quickly interjected.

"Wait, doesn't Namine need a bedroom?" Riku said. Namine cast him a confused glance but his attention was on DiZ.

"Don't be ridiculous," DiZ said, and chills went down her spine. "Why would you think that?"

"She needed a few rests on the way here. It stands to reason she'd need to sleep now and again," Riku said, looking incredibly confused. "After all, she's only human."

Namine flinched at those words and tried to hide herself as best she could. DiZ turned his head slightly to cast her another mildly irritated glance before chuckling aloud.

"What's so funny?" Riku demanded, growing more irritated by the second.

"For all my general disagreements with Namine, she is, at the very least, devoted to her work. You could learn a thing or two from her, Riku," DiZ said, and Namine breathed a small sigh of relief. Riku bristled with anger again and made no attempt to calm himself. "But if you're so concerned with her sleep, why don't you make your bed available."

With that, he left, still chuckling, leaving two very red teenagers alone in the open room of the mansion. Riku rubbed the back of his head with his gloved hand and sighed while Namine coughed lightly.

"So... yeah... some road trip this has been," Riku said, looking at the ceiling. Namine sighed as she ran her fingers along the sketch pad. It was time to get back to work. She had had her taste of the outside world and she would evidently get many more. She was getting to see the outside worlds now. But that meant she absolutely had to put all of her being into her work while she was here. No time for distractions. None at all.

"Yeah, I suppose... Anyways, I should... go to my work," Namine said, standing and beginning up the stairs to her room. Riku stared at the front door a while as he listened to the soft slap of her sandals along the stairs. So, that was that. Road trip was over and done with. Time for things to go back to the way they were. Fighting his darkness, going around on missions for DiZ, and training in the dark of his room. Back to that life, trying to scrape by every day alone, just trying to make up for the mistake he had made, just trying to help Sora out in his own way by his own blood, sweat, and tears...

"Hey! Namine!" Riku called, and she whipped around at the top of the stairs. Riku leaped up the stairs, clearing four or five a step and ending up in front of her in just a few seconds.

"Look, I... during that journey I know I..." Riku started, but immediately lost his train of thought. _How do people apologize normally? Am I even trying to apologize? What am I trying to do here?_

As Riku thought, his gaze cast upwards and then out through a small window to the front gate and courtyard of the mansion where it held for a moment. _Aw, screw this thinking about things before I talk business. It never works._

"Riku-" Namine said, trying to snap him out of his apparent daydream.

"This was kind of where we first met," Riku said, nodding towards the door. Namine looked at it confusedly. "Right after I went through those gates after beating my replica. I ran into you."

"Except I was at Sora's pod."

"Well, yeah-"

"And it was in Castle Oblivion."

"Alright, but-"

"And I also talked to you while you were lost in the light, so technically that wasn't even our first-"

"Could you please work with me here?"

"I'm sorry, is the sound of me being right too loud for you?"

Riku grinned broadly and Namine returned the smile as they looked over the room together. Riku coughed a bit and turned back to face her.

"We've both said some bad stuff and done some bad things... can we just forget those things ever happened and have a fresh start? Here, in the place we first met?" Riku said, his voice playful even while his eyes were pleading with her. Namine looked at him for a moment and closed her eyes.

_A fresh start?_  
"I can't forget... but I can forgive," Namine said, smiling at him. Riku relaxed and sighed.

"I guess I can live with that," Riku said. As Namine just stared at him a while longer, something between the memories of Sora and the words of Yen Sid moved her body and mouth of their own accord and lead her to do something completely out of her character.

She extended her hand out to Riku, cocked her head and said "Friends?"

Riku stared at her hand a long time, long enough that Namine began to regret the gesture. What was she thinking? Asking him to be friends... that wasn't something you did when you were restarting... what did people do when they were restarting? Certainly not extend their hand out and beg to be friends like a complete and utter-

"Friends," Riku said, giving a warm and confident grin as he shook hands with her. Namine smiled and struggled against emotions she wasn't supposed to feel ever. "I'll see you around then."

"Y-yeah," Namine said, and she retreated to her drawing room. She collapsed into a chair and found her hand still radiating with warmth from the touch. _Are you proud of me Sora?_

* * *

She must have spent hours sitting there, barely able to concentrate on her drawings in the light of her recent accomplishment. Not until DiZ entered, deep into the night did she even begin to feel tired.

"I see you and Riku have managed to find common ground during your litte... adventure," DiZ said, observing her drawings. Namine blushed a little, looking over the drawings she had completed. Almost all of them had Riku.

"Y-Yeah... We're friends now," Namine said, with no small satisfaction at the statement, and DiZ immediately scoffed. That simple condescending puff of noise plunged into her stomach like a dagger.

"I don't pretend to know why you don't tell him about the nature of your... existence. It's not as though you have the capacity for shame or remorse," DiZ said, and Namine could feel herself growing smaller in DiZ's presence. "That said, I see no reason for me to be the one to bestow the truth upon him."

"...Thank you," Namine said, barely above a whisper. She couldn't tell DiZ, but even now that she was friends with him, she was still afraid of Riku's reaction... no, now that they were friends, she was even more scared of what Riku would think of her. It certainly wasn't time to tell him now. Perhaps later, when they trusted each other more.

"But be warned. I won't be the one to deny him knowledge if he comes seeking it from me. Is that understood?" DiZ said, folding his arms.

"...Yes..."

"Good," DiZ said. He turned to leave the room but paused. "...There's an extra pillow and blanket somewhere in the house. If you really need it."

Namine looked up at him sharply in time to see him leaving. She sighed, smiled and put her head on the table. Maybe she was tricking herself into thinking she could feel, but it was nice to experience hope. Even false hope.

* * *

Riku sat in the dark of his room, slowly focusing on his heart. He could almost see it directly in front of him, a glowing red light, right there before him. He could see the black taint trailing off it, faint, but still there nonetheless. With a deep breath, he prepared to step in-

Only to be interrupted by the appearance of DiZ.

"I see you have kept up in your training," he said, and Riku softened just slightly. "That's good. Remember to remain vigilant. You mustn't flinch or wince or even blink as you face your darkness."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Riku said, cracking his neck. "Is that all you came here to say?"

"I notice you've become quite a bit closer to Namine," DiZ noted. Riku shrugged.

"Yeah, we bonded over our little road trip. So what?" he said, a bit indifferently. DiZ bobbed his head up and down a few times as if in thought.

"...Be careful not to get too close to her, Riku," he said, and Riku frowned deeply.

"What are you talking about? What happens if I get close to her?" Riku said, quickly growing uncomfortable. DiZ raised his hand to still him.

"I'm only giving my advice. Getting too close to her will bring you a fair bit of grief when all is said and done," DiZ said, and without waiting for a response from Riku, he left the room. Riku stared at the door for a moment before rolling his eyes and going to back to his meditation.

"Fair bit of grief he says. She's already given me that," Riku muttered.

* * *

_Well, that was another long chapter. Yeesh, and I don't see them getting any shorter. Well, we'll see. I might post some fluff chapters later if any of my readers want them._  
_Of course, if you want to tell me you want some fluff chapters in the long run you have to REVIEW. Everybody. REVIEW. REVIEW._  
_Okay, I'm done._


	7. The Edge of Darkness

_Another year ticked off and we're on our way again. Welcome to 2013. You may notice it looks suspiciously like 2012. _  
_O.O Wow. I got 6 reviews last chapter. That's as many as the five chapter previous combined. I've finally managed to pull off 10 reviews overall. Seems like this story is getting some attention now. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, and keep them coming. Your feedback is much appreciated._  
_And since several reviews have said to go ahead with the fluff, you can expect to see it in the future. I can't be sure exactly when, but stick with me long enough and you'll be able to pick them out pretty easily from the rest._

_**Nariyasu**__: Thanks! Namine's character is really hard to keep since she's not technically supposed to feel and all, but if you say I'm doing well then I'll trust you._

_**Mr. Phenomenal**__: Thanks, I wasn't even really going for that but I'm glad it worked out that way. Yeah, as much as I like the mysterious air around Namine, it doesn't make her a very active or engaging character so I had to make her a little more... motivated._

_**Hattie**__: I know, right? It's devastating when you've sifted through all the fics that aren't your style or aren't that well written and then you find out it's incomplete and last updated 3 years ago. I'll make you a deal, though. Keep reviewing, and I'll have at least one chapter up a month. That's a joke, I'll be writing anyways. But keep reviewing anyways. It makes me feel good._

_Anyways, you came here to read about Namine and Riku, so let's get on with that._

Ch. 7: The Edge of Darkness

**When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly. - Patrick Overton  
**

Riku's eyes opened quietly as he slowly shifted from sleep to awake. Not that it was particularly hard. He wasn't a particularly heavy sleeper... or really much of a sleeper anyways. A few hours of drifting in and out of sleep was usually enough to keep him going.

He pushed himself up and sat at the edge of his bed, waiting for the last remnants of sleep to trail off. Had he always been this light of a sleeper? No, he could distinctly remember a time in his life when Sora would have to come and wake him up on the weekends to force him to come to the islands so that he could, as Kairi put it, "be sociable." Or, as Sora put it, "be less dead." He couldn't remember when that had changed...

… Which was just his mind's way of telling him it was when he gave into the darkness.

There weren't nightmares like there had been while he was with Maleficent and the realm of darkness. It was just a nervousness when he closed his eyes, a little tentative flutter of his heart.

He told himself it was just his battle instincts refusing him a moments rest. But, of course, that was a lie too.

Riku walked over to the window of his room and opened it to let the orange glow of sunlight filter through.

"Is it always like this?" Riku said, raising his hand and letting the light wash over it. He slowly closed it into a fist, as if he could grasp its essence and take it for himself, closing his eyes and going back to those days on the islands. They were fuzzy and so distant, but still dense with emotions long ignored. "...Just you wait. Sora, Kairi... I'll make this right. I will do this."

He took a moment to let the promise hang in the air to give it weight and then opened his eyes and his hand.

"Well. Better get ready," Riku said, turning around and pulling his cloak on and pushing his door open and walking out into the hall.

* * *

Namine was sitting on the steps leading to the ground floor, her knees locked and her hands rigidly holding the sketch book. As Riku took slow steps along the hall leading to the stairs, her head snapped up to him and she stood up quickly, smiling brightly.

"Hi!" she said and Riku waved back awkwardly, taken aback by her cheerful disposition.

_Oh... was that too much? Why can't I get these interactions right? _Namine thought, still smiling as Riku reached the steps.

"So... when do we leave?" Namine asked, and Riku quirked an eyebrow.

"You're awfully eager," he said as a statement of fact. Still, Namine blushed. Riku cooly moved down the steps and stood at the base, observing the room, looking anywhere but Namine.

"Anyways, I couldn't tell you. It's not like I have a Gummi Ship or anything. We'll just have to see what DiZ has in store for us," Riku said.

"O-Oh," Namine said. "I guess that makes sense... Hey, Riku?"

"Hm?"

"What does a Gummi Ship look like?" Riku scratched his head.

"Er... it looks like... a Gummi Ship. It's a ship made of Gummi blocks. I don't know..." Riku said. "Can't you see it in Sora's memories? He was around them a lot more than I was."

"I don't know. Seeing it in his memories... it's different. It's always blurry and it doesn't really stick in my mind," Namine said, smiling a bit sadly. "I guess that's just how it is with memories that aren't mine."

"...I guess," Riku said, folding his arms a bit uncomfortably. Another moment passed by in silence.

"Hey, Riku?"

"...What?"

"Um... Why won't you look at me?" Namine asked. Riku half turned his head and his mouth flopped open and closed several times as he struggled with an answer.

"I... That is... I-"

"Good. You're both awake," DiZ said, strolling in and Riku snapped to attention, thankful for any reprieve from the awkward conversation. "I trust you're both ready? There's no telling where this journey will lead you or when it will end."

Riku turned and looked at Namine from the corner of his eye again and she nodded affirmatively.

"We've been ready a long time," Riku said, anticipation rising. DiZ gave an amused cough and procured another of his strange invention from his person.

"We have no Gummi blocks to work into a ship, so the only mode of transportation is the dark portals," DiZ said, handing the disk shaped device to Riku. There were five holes around it and Riku's fingers easily pushed through and wrapped around the centerpiece, a golden gem.

"Of course, dark portals aren't quite as convenient for those of us trying to avoid being devoured by the darkness," DiZ said, and Riku sighed. Sometimes, he got really tired of all the inconveniences his nature caused. "This device should help. The gem at the center is a Shining Gem; it will help ward off the residual darkness when you exit the portals. But be warned: the device has to recharge for some time, and is by no means a license to wield your darkness as recklessly as you once did."

Riku nodded and clutched the device tightly in his hand.

"Try and focus the darkness onto the gem. It will maximize its effectiveness. And help in your training as well."

Riku gave another nod and then mumbled his thanks. As expected, DiZ just scoffed and turned.

"I leave it to the two of you to decide where to head first. You are the ones who know Sora and his memories best."

Just as easily as he had entered, he left, leaving a somewhat stumped duo.

"I... I hadn't even thought about where we were going to go," Riku said, scratching his ear with his free hand. "I was so caught up with just getting out there I... I just kind of assumed DiZ would tell us where to go."

"Yeah..." Namine said, a bit shyly as she walked down the steps. "I don't know either. Where do you think is a good place to start?"

Riku folded his arms and sighed. Where was a good place to start? How was he supposed to know? He hadn't been journeying with Sora for the last year. It made sense for the memories to go back to their worlds of origin, but Riku only vaguely knew which worlds Sora had been to, and even then, he had no idea which ones would be the best place to start.

Riku grunted and closed his eyes tightly as he thought, Namine standing politely behind him and fidgeting slightly.

What worlds had both Sora and Riku been to? There was Traverse Town and Agrabah... but those were just brief overlaps. They hadn't even met on Agrabah. Okay, what about worlds where they had spent significant time together? ...Destiny Islands?

Riku shuddered a bit and Namine watched him curiously.

_Hah... I don't plan on going there anytime soon. _Riku thought, and quickly moved on refusing to give himself anytime to convince himself otherwise. _That just leaves..._

"...Hollow Bastion," Riku said, his voice just above a whisper. Namine blinked a couple of times.

"Hollow Bastion?" she repeated, a bit curious. "Why -"

"It's the last world Sora visited before he fought Ansem and ended up at Castle Oblivion," Riku said. "I think he's got friends there. The memories will still be fresh there. Let's go."

Riku focused and stretched out his free hand, as a gate of darkness obligingly opened for him.

"But Riku, that's where you-" Namine started, but Riku silenced her with a quick glare. That was the first time he had looked at her since they had become "friends" and, oh, how it made her doubt their friendship.

"I know," he said. "We'll start at the end."

And with that, he stepped into the darkness. Namine sighed and fumbled with the end of her dress a bit before following after. Some 'friends'...

* * *

Riku stumbled out of the hole first. It was a lurching step through, like a step down a stair that you didn't know existed. Sure, you ended up on solid ground, no harm done, but for a split second, there was the primal fear that you would be lost, falling forever.

And then the ground returned, his boot tapping onto stone tile.

One step, two step, and then the drain kicked in. Just a small delay before the travel through the darkness kicked in. It was almost second nature for Riku. He hated that.

He felt his energy leak out and dissipate around him and the darkness that had billowed out from the portal seem to sniff him casually, ready to infiltrate. Just as it was about to, the gem glowed brightly and Riku could feel a heavy pressure alleviate, his muscles relaxing.

_...Suppose he's good for something._Riku thought, a bit grudgingly. He heard a soft sound behind him and he turned to see Namine.

"That went easily enough," Namine said, dusting herself off despite the very evident absence of dust. She glanced up and confirmed, yes, the second she began to look up Riku turned away. She sighed and straightened. Well, that was the price she paid for being overzealous.

"This place... it's not the Hollow Bastion I remember," Riku said, surveying the land. He looked down and saw that certain parts of the road seemed quite new. Inspection of surrounding areas confirmed that parts of the roads and foundations of some civilization that looked nothing like what Maleficent had established during her reign. These were ruins, cast and strewn upon the outskirts. The houses were broken and demolished, raided of all semblance of a place that could be called home. All around, the city was littered with dusts, shards of stone, and splinters.

And it looked a hell of alot better than when Riku had been there.

"Is there... is there some kind of renovation project going on here?" Riku said, searching around, but his view was blocked by rubble.

"Well... Sora did defeat that Council of Villains, and a couple of his friends returned to this world," Namine said, also searching. Riku squinted a while longer before sighing.

"Wait here," he said, and without pausing for a response, Riku ran forward and scaled the broken remains of a wall in a single bound. From his new vantage point, he cast his gaze downward around the city. Yes... they were scarce and scattered, but there were definitely people here, working together to rebuild the city. They were carrying stone and wood in wheelbarrows and makeshift sacks, lugging it all to construction sites all around the city. Then he cast his gaze towards the horizon and his face was struck with pure shock. He shook his head in disbelief and blinked several times to convince himself that his eyes weren't deceiving him.

He stared out for a moment or two before he leapt off the wall, landing on lightly on the ground, using the darkness to cushion the impact.

"What's wrong?" Namine asked, and Riku scowled a bit, seeming a bit exasperated. Namine bit her lip. Was she really that much of a bother to have around?

"The idiots. How can they just sit here?" Riku said, massaging his temple with one hand and wildly gesturing with the other. "They're all in danger. How can they not see it? How are they even still alive? Don't they know? They're right on the edge!"

"Wait, what are you talking about? What's wrong, Riku?" Namine asked again. If he didn't want to acknowledge her, fine, but he should at least keep her informed. This was her quest, too.

"Heartless," Riku said. "A motherload of them. Right there, on the doorsteps of the city."

"Heartless? From the castle? It can't be too bad," Namine said, and Riku's eyes widened as if to convey the seriousness of the situation. He grabbed her arm and leapt onto the creaking roof of a rundown building.

"Ah! Riku! Don't do things so sud-" Namine stopped mid-scold as the rush of air subsided and she found herself staring into a chasm of darkness. A pit of blackness below her, in the crevices and trenches of the crystal canyon. Which was totally okay.

Except the chasm was moving. And had thousands upon thousands of gleaming yellow eyes.

"...Th-That's... that's not... How is that possible?" Namine said, looking down in disbelief. "The Heartless should have vanished, not increased! I... I can't even see the ground... it's... it's-"

"Namine," Riku said, and her head snapped to meet his gaze. His voice was stern but calm, as were his eyes. He held her gaze for only a brief moment before his eyes flitted away and he gazed down as the army beneath him. "Calm down. Freaking out is the last thing we want to do."

"B-But... what if a page is down there!? How in all the worlds are we going to get a page from that... that horde!?" she said, still a bit hysteric. Suddenly, a gloved hand was gripped around her arm, and she started for a moment before realizing it was Riku, who was very pointedly not looking at her and blushing ever-so-slightly.

"Calm down," he repeated, with authority, and Namine hesitated, then nodded, taking deep breaths. Riku released her arm and stood on the edge, looking out to the ocean of Heartless before him. Namine stepped up beside him and stared as well.

For what seemed like an eternity, they stood there, observing the Heartless, watching the mass of chaos beneath them. Who knew how long until it exploded and unleashed its hell upon this shoddy and recovering town.

"How come the Heartless haven't invaded yet?" Namine said. Riku scratched the back of his head and frowned deeply.

"Dunno... maybe they need a commander... maybe somebody told them to wait?"

"Wait for what?"

Riku opened his mouth to respond, but a sudden alarm blared off and he whipped around. He could sense the fear settling in, as people began to scamper away to whatever shelters they had mustered up. He cast his eyes around the shoddy remains of the town, and then back to the sea of Heartless below. It seemed like only a small fraction were attacking.

"... I don't know..." Riku finally admitted, but quickly turned again, rising to his full height as a small troupe of Armored Knights and Soldier Heartless appeared behind them. "But let's keep our priorities straight."

Namine turned around to look and yelped a bit, hiding behind Riku. The group began to converge on them and Riku snarled, his blade materializing from darkness. As the first of them leapt onto the rooftop, Riku viciously backhanded the first off to the side, and lunged into the next one, his blade piercing straight into the core of an Armored Knight. With some difficulty, he twisted the blade sideways and tore it through the creature's side in order to slash a second Heartless across its midsection before it could attack.

As another wave prepared to jump up to fight, Riku took the battle to them, jumping down and unleashing a wave of energy from his blade upon impact, like a pulse across the ground. It rippled and knocked the horde off their feet. Riku dove to the side as a few of the unaffected levitating Heartless unleashed a salvo of energy bolts at him. He concentrated as he fell towards the ground, the world slowing down from his perspective. His free hand caught the ground and he pushed off, flipping over like it was second nature, his eyes still locked on the Heartless shooting him from the back. Mid-flip, he flung his blade out, and it hummed through the air, becoming a blur of red and blue lightning. It passed through three of the Heartless like a spinning ghost and left nothing but disintegrating shadows in its wake. As he landed on his feet, Riku ran straight for the center of the horde to grab his blade out the air. He stomped on the chest of the Soldier beneath him, flattening it against the ground, and deftly slashed its head off.

"Feh," Riku said, looking around irritably. "No end to them..."

A few Soldiers advanced in their twisted, whimsical manner and began spinning like tops, slowly closing in around him. Riku gritted his teeth and glared. They were trapping him like a rat. Since when were Heartless this intelligent? From afar, the Surveillance Robots fired off another round. Riku spun his blade in a sweeping circle, bouncing several of them off in various directions but a few slipped past and Riku staggered back from the impact.

"Crap," Riku gasped as he regained his footing. Namine was wringing her hands from the rooftop, watching nervously. The Soldiers were dangerously close now.

He spun once, using the darkness to reinforce his swing, and created space for himself, then sprung into the air, only to be met by several Armored Knights who jumped up to meet him in the air.

"...Double crap," he muttered, and he was promptly swatted out of the air, sent flying back into the building that Namine was standing atop.

He hit wood and felt it crack and splinter all around him, shards of angry wood slicing through his skin, dragging a burning sensation across his body. Riku hissed and focused on controlling his breathing as he rose to stand. The second he rose, a Soldier was before him, flailing about like a top.

In a solid motion, Riku blocked the Soldier's attack, stopping the creature's spin with his blade.

"Like hell," he muttered, and spun in the opposite direction, slicing the soldier across its torso. As other Heartless began lumbering into the wreckage, Riku dismissed his blade and began firing Dark Firaga at the approaching storm.

Frowning as the Heartless continued to slip through, Riku snarled and put even more power into his dark magic, charging the flames in his hand and loosing blast after blast of dark fire, left, right, left, right, faster and faster, Heartless vanishing in their wake left and right.

Finally, Riku paused, his chest heaving and sweat dripping down his face as the flames licked away, a flickering glow of violet. For a moment, the only audible sounds were their quiet roars.

Then the Heartless burst through, still stalking forward, straight for him. Riku just stared, mouth hanging open as he panted like a dog. A bit resigned, he gripped the handle of his blade out of nothing, just in time to deflect a bolt from a Surveillance Robot.

There numbers were definitely cut down. From what he could see, he could deal with the ones approaching without much risk. But there was no telling how many were scattered across the city, and there was no way he would be able to hold back the sheer numbers that were inhabiting the chasm. Things look pretty grim.

Another bolt fired and Riku deflect it as well.

"Come on!" he snapped, irritated at his own powerlessness. "I'll crush you!"

The Heartless took the invitation, and, perhaps for the first time in his life, Riku truly wished he had been born a mute.

His attention was caught by a vertical beam splintering beside him, groaning under the pressure of the roof. His eyes cast upwards as the ceiling seemed to lurch forward, inch by inch, the whole building slowly slipping and losing its structure.

"Um... Riku?" a muffled voice called tentatively. "Ah!"

And for whatever reason, that small yelp was enough for Riku to decide it was time to embrace the old Sora tradition of not thinking. As the Heartless marched into the building, Riku slashed through the vertical beam to his side, and threw his blade through another one several meters behind him. The roof immediately gave and began to slide and grind down.

"Ah! Riku!?" Namine shouted as she fell back on the falling roof. A burst of dark fire shot through just by her side, and she yelped again, drawing her hand back. Out from the hole, a shadow flitted out. Before Namine could say anything, she felt a small tug on her arm, and then she was tearing through the air, a strong arm wrapped around her waist.

"Shit," Riku muttered, and closed his looked at him questioningly, a bit unnerved by their closeness. Then she noticed their rapidly accelerating descent and she closed her eyes tight, her hands gripping the fabric of Riku's cloak.

The impact was dull and a bit jarring for Namine. Not so for Riku. Riku felt a sharp jab of ice hot pain stab into his shoulder as his shoulder struck the ground and he rolled over to his back, taking care to keep Namine from hitting the stone. Black spots flickered in and out of his vision, and he wasn't quite able to keep everything straight in his mind. There was the rooftop, the dispersing shadows, the annoying blond going off at him-

"I am not annoying!" Namine said, stamping her foot. "Now stop treating me like I'm nothing but a burden and look at me!"

Riku blinked several times and decided to obey the strange voice. As he turned his head to fully face the blond girl, everything seemed to straighten out.

"Can you- ack! Dammit," Riku swore as pain shot down his arm, which was almost limp.

"A-Are you okay?" Namine asked, and Riku cocked his head and glared at her, his mouth a tight line. "W-Well... you... you don't think it's broken, do you?"

"Ngh... No..." Riku blew past clenched teeth. "I think its... I think its dislocated."

"Dislocated?" Namine said. "Uh... is that better? Or worse?"

"Look, just come over here and help me with this," Riku snapped, and Namine frantically jumped up, moving over to the side with the dislocated shoulder.

"Alright... Now... I'm going to count to 3, and when I say 'go,' I want you to push my shoulder back in place," Riku said, and Namine gingerly wrapped her fingers around his shoulder. "Ready? 1... 2... 3, Gh-agh." Riku cried as Namine quickly shoved the bone back into its socket. "What the hell was that?"

"I thought I was doing it once you had counted to 3?" Namine said, afraid that she had somehow worsened his injury.

"I said to push it in when I said 'go'," Riku said, gripping his shoulder and testing it briefly. He took a moment to calm his breathing and then sighed.

_You're welcome. _Namine thought to herself, as Riku pushed himself back up to his feet as Namine followed his stare to a small party of remaining Heartless.

"Sure was nice of them to sit there and wait for me to fix my arm," Riku said, calling his Soul-Eater to his hand as they seemed to tense and focus. Namine looked slightly to the side and cocked her head curiously.

"... It might not have been entirely by choice," she said, and Riku also turned to see what she meant.

A small white orb surrounded by a white circular pattern was easily sliding across the ground, directly towards the Heartless. As it reached the group, it circled around them a few times, then selected one of the Heartless scampering towards Riku, unaware of the floating... thing.

Upon reaching its target, it exploded upward in a small column of light, a cascade of energy. The Heartless vanished in a puff of shadow.

The device, continued this pattern a few times, whisking about the group as they attempted to reach Riku and Namine and unleashing a cascade of light every once in a while, destroying a selected target and stunning several others.

"That sure is convenient. Would have been nice a few minutes ago," Riku said, easily dispatching a Soldier that had managed to slip through. He threw his blade in a humming spiral and destroyed the last small handful of Heartless in his area. Perhaps the town wasn't as defenseless as it seemed.

After a moment of pause, Riku fell back, letting his back hit stone again, wincing from the pain in his shoulder. Namine kneeled beside him, and he closed his eyes quietly.

"Feh," he said. "All that work and we're not any closer to finding a page. DiZ would be pleased."

Namine let out a small hiccup of laughter and procured a small golden crystal in the shape of a pear.

"Speaking of DiZ, he had me go fetch this from a Moogle before you left," she said, smiling a bit. Riku turned his head, looked at the object and scoffed a bit. "He seemed to think you would need it."

"An elixir, huh? He better be careful. I might even start thinking he's an okay person," Riku said, leaning and taking hold of it. He crushed it in his hand and cast the raw energy into the air. It settled down to his body, bathing him in a soft warm light. The dull throb in his shoulder alleviated and he could feel the drain from using so much of his power subside.

As the elixir finished its job, Riku drew back his legs and flipped himself straight to his feet, stretching his body out.

"Well, that's that then. Shall we go take a look around?" he said, smiling. Immediately, the smile shifted to a frown and he whipped around to see a young girl hidden in the shadows behind him, perched atop another stone wall. Apparently, she had been attempting to sneak around them and spy on them, for how long, he didn't know.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" he snapped, and the girl nearly lost her balance.

"Aw, nuts!" he heard her mutter to herself and she leapt down from her roost, coming into the light. Riku gave her a quick once over, noting that she was armed, lean, and, a bit inadvertently, that she was fairly attractive. She had short black hair, some odd headband, a yellow scarf, some comically large orange gloves, a very short green top, an even shorter set of denim shorts, and long white stockings. In her hand, she brandished a ninja star.

"Who are you and how long have you been spying on us?" Riku said, doing his best to focus on her face. The girl brushed some black hair out of her face and put her hands on her hips, which did nothing to help his focus.

"Name's Yuffie Kisaragi, The Princess of Thieves and Ninja Master. I only arrived a minute ago since I was taking care of Heartless in other parts of town," she said, jabbing a thumb at herself and sticking her chest out proudly, which also did not help with Riku's focus. "Now it's my turn. Who are you, why are you here, and how did you manage to find me in the shadows?"

Riku (cautiously) eyed her for a moment, trying to decide whether or not this person was a friend or foe. Finally, he decided that names were harmless enough.

"I'm Riku, that's Namine," Riku said, nodding towards his companion who waved timidly from behind him. "Why we're here... well, we're looking for something. A friend of ours lost something. We think it may be here."

"Oh? What'd your friend lose?" Riku looked at Namine and frowned.

"It's a bit hard to explain."

"Uh-huh," Yuffie said, nodding and taking slow steps towards Riku.

"Uh... maybe you might know him? His name is Sora?" Riku offered, somewhat uncomfortable with her approach. Meanwhile, Namine looked at Riku curiously.

"...Sora?" Yuffie said, saying the name herself. She looked up and paused for a moment, letting the sound of the name echo in her mind a few times. "Eh... nope. Don't know any Sora."

"Really? Crap..." Riku said, looking at Namine. "Maybe we should try somewhere else."

"Um, Riku?... There's something I should tell you," she said, and the anxiety in her voice was so infectious that Riku nearly forgot that there was a third party listening. Nearly.

"So, you never did answer my third question," Yuffie said, strutting around Riku, looking him up and down. Riku crossed his arms, beginning to get annoyed by her presence.

"What question?" he said, hiding his irritation under a cold exterior.

"Oh, you know. How did you manage to find the wonderful Master of Shadows in her element?" Yuffie said, now inspecting Namine. Riku snorted.

"Please. Your element?" he sneered. "You just hide in them."

"Oh? And what do you do with the shadows?" Yuffie said, turning to face him and raising her eyebrows expectantly.

_I lived in them _was Riku's first thought but he decided that wasn't in his best interest.

"I don't do anything with them," Riku said. "Look, I don't know. I just felt a presence and I looked up and saw you. Are you done with the interrogation now?"

"Hmmm... nope," Yuffie said, spinning on her heel. "How'd you guys survive the Heartless attack?"

"... That thing saved us," Riku said, nodding towards the white sphere now circling around their group. "It showed up and stopped them. Do you know what it is?"

"Mmhmm," Yuffie said brightly, walking over to it and grinning wolfishly. "This here is our boy Cid's newest little fancy. These are Claymores."

"... I didn't think you'd have technology like this," Riku said, giving a quick glance at Namine. She was back to wringing her hands.

"I bet there's a lot about us you'd wouldn't think of," Yuffie said, turning heel once more and taking long and slow strides towards Riku whose expression instantly reverted to aggravation. "You know, it's a funny thing about these here Claymores. They only ever show up when there's a dark presence around. Like the Heartless."

Riku flinched as Yuffie walked up, stopping directly beside him, facing the other way.

"And do you know what happens when all the dark presences disappear?" she said, taking one more step and turning to face him. Riku was about done turning to face her and just stood on the spot, motionless. "The Claymores are supposed to disappear, too. Wonder why this one is still here."

Riku's mouth suddenly felt very dry, and his fingers itched for his blade. But before he could make any sort of motion, he could feel a warmth on his previously injured shoulder.

"... Been a lot of strange black cloaks around these parts lately," Yuffie whispered, and Riku almost shuddered as her breath touched his neck. Then he blinked and whipped around, drawing his Soul-Eater.

"Hai!" Yuffie said, and she flipped back some ten meters. In her hand was a small disk shaped device. "Now, what might this be?"

"Hey!" Riku snapped, now completely fed up and somewhat embarrassed. "Give that back. Now."

"Or what?" Yuffie shouted back, working it onto her hand. "What are you going to do about it? Bleah!"

She stuck her tongue out at him and bounded off in the other direction, taking great acrobatic leaps and strides.

"Oh, hell no," Riku said past clenched teeth.

"Um-" Namine started, but Riku was already gone, dashing after her. In a single jump he closed half the distance, and began running after her at a breakneck pace, rapidly catching up.

"Hoho! You're faster than I thought," Yuffie called back, still grinning wildly. "But you won't catch me! After all, I'm Yuffie, the -Ahhhh!"

A particularly run down section of the wall collapsed under her feet and she slipped down to the ground. Riku was unable to react fast enough, and jumped over her position. He skidded to a halt in a nearby courtyard and jumped back. As he landed he looked around quickly to find the area she had fallen down empty, save some fresh rubble. As he scanned the area once more, he felt a sharp and sudden pain at the back of his head.

"Ow! What the-" he said, and turned in the direction to see the ninja perched on a column not far off, tossing a jagged, fist-sized stone in her hand.

"Nyah nyah!" she called, and threw the stone at him with accuracy and speed that would intimidate anyone else.

Not Riku. He rose his hand and snatched the projectile out of the air. He applied pressure, and the stone broke in his hand.

"...Eep!" she said, turning and fleeing, though there was a hint of wry humor in her voice. Riku growled and focused on her presence.

"I think that is-" he began, the darkness rising around him.

"-quite enough!" he said, soaring out of the portal and catching the surprised Yuffie right out of the air. He quickly grabbed both of her wrists in a vice grip and landed on a nearby roof. Riku winced as his back struck on stone a second time for that day, but he quickly recovered and pounced over, pinning Yuffie to the ground.

"Now... hand that over," Riku said, trying his best to look menacing. "And while you're at it, why don't you tell me what's going on with this town?"

"Oh, I definitely don't think we've known each other quite long enough for this," Yuffie said, still grinning like an imp. Before Riku could even begin to register what she had said, she had given his a swift and prompt kick to the fork of his legs.

"Oh... fuck..." Riku said, his body shutting down as Yuffie shoved him off to the side. He was on his hands and knees, crawling and gasping for air.

"Hehehehe... not so tough now, are we?" Yuffie said, beaming. "That was all part of my plan, you see. I knew you black cloaks could use portals. You're all those dark types. And not the good dark types like me. The bad dark types. Anyways... I knew you were going to use that portal. That's why I goaded you. Silly idiot. I'm the greatest ninja alive. There's no way you could get the drop on me."

"...Shut... up... and... give... back," Riku panted, planting one foot flat on the ground.

"Ohoho, I wonder what's so important about- huh?" she said, raising the hand that that had bore the device, only to find the device missing.

"...Please, leave," a quiet voice ordered from behind her, and Yuffie whipped around to see Namine holding the device in her hands, clutching it tightly.

"Now hold on the-whoa!" she said, but was again interrupted as Riku swept her legs out from under her, sprawling her back onto the floor. She was ready to jump right back up and give him another solid kick, but before she could lean even an inch off the ground, Riku was up, Soul-Eater drawn and pointed for her neck.

"Now... let's try this again... who are you, really, and what are you doing in this city?" Riku said, his breath labored. Yuffie stretched out her body like a cat and scratched her head, pretending to think about it.

"Hm," she hummed to herself, turning her head and grinning at Riku who was thoroughly fed up.

"Are you going to answer the question, or should I take a stab at it?" Riku said, emphasizing stab with a small jab of his blade.  
Yuffie yawned.

"No, I don't think I will." Riku narrowed his eyes.

"Do you think I'm joking?" he asked, his voice low and his stare hard. Yuffie seemed immune or oblivious. Possibly both.

"Nah, you're super scary and stuff. I was really worried for a moment. Then I noticed the cavalry arrived," she said, a playful smirk playing on her lips. Riku turned his head slightly and then whipped around slicing through a ball of fire, the flames dispersing and trailing around him On a nearby rooftop, a tall and strong man with long brown hair stood poised, with a gunblade resting on his shoulder. His other arm was extended and faint smoke trailed off his hand. There was a scar across his face, from his brow above his right eye, across the bridge of his nose, and ending just beneath his left eye.

"Dammit... another annoying one- kh," Riku choked out as Yuffie jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck in a chokehold.

"Hey, Squall! Took you long enough!" she said, waving with her free hand.

"It's Leon," the man said, scratching the inside of his ear. "And you should really stop that. Get away from him."

"Eh? A true ninja master never retreats!" she called back. "Anyways, what's it to you? You trying to take all the- Ah!"

Riku snatched up her free arm with both his hands, and grunted, his eyes trained on the newcomer called Leon.

"Get lost," he said, and swung her off of him and straight for Leon, using the darkness to amplify his strength.

Yuffie wailed all across the gap, even as Leon caught her, staggering back a few feet. Once she was assured that she was no longer in danger, she leaped to her feet furiously.

"Hey! What's the big idea? You could have killed me, you cocky bastard!" Yuffie said, pouting and hopping up and down.

"Eh? Really? A toss like that could have killed the great ninja master?" Riku said, his voice drawn out and confident as he stepped to the edge, looking down at the duo. Namine eyed him, aware of the sudden change in his disposition.

"What!? No way! The great ninja master is invincible! Nothing can stop me! Certainly not some half-baked loser like-"

"Yuffie, shut up," Leon said, stepping in front of her and facing up to Riku.

"Squall! What's the big idea? That brat's asking for it! Let me-"

"Leave this one to me," Leon said, readying his gunblade. "You can't handle this."

"Eh? What are you talking about, Squall."

"It's Leon," he snapped, not taking his eyes off Riku. "Don't you get what I'm saying?"

"Um... Riku," Namine said, quietly, still clutching the device. "Don't you think we should leave now? While they're arguing?"

"Not a chance," Riku said, facing off against Leon. "I still have questions that need to be answered. There's something not right about this whole scene."

"I know there isn't. But you have to listen to me-"

"Later, Namine," Riku said, drawing back, leveling his Soul-Eater with his eye. "I have to concentrate now. His eyes locked dead with Leon's and an eerie silence settled into the entirety of the town. He grinned viciously, licking his lips and Namine shuddered, suddenly struck by the image of a wolf and a lion circling each other, the lion's proud roar, the wolf's ominous howl, baring their fangs, begging for blood.

"This one is strong."

* * *

_Don't know if you caught that, but the last line was said by both Leon and Riku. Yeah. That... really doesn't change anything. But that's how it went down. Um. Yeah._  
_This is the first real cliffhanger, isn't it? Wasn't really in the plan, either. This chapter was supposed to include Riku and Leon's fight and then some. But I didn't realize how long the set up was going to be. And then the scenes with Yuffie and Riku were really improvised. I originally just planned for her to show up and fight with Leon. Hopefully, the way I wrote it now made it a little more... interesting._  
_Anyways. Riku v. Leon? Thoughts? Predictions? Feedback? Review? Review?_  
_Riku X Yuffie? Not happening? Thoughts anyways? More reviews? Review please?_  
_It might be a full month before I update since I really need to start focusing on my classes, but rest assured, this story is going strong. Thank you all for reading, here's hoping 2013 is a damn good year, and make sure you REVIEW._


	8. The Night

_Ugh. Too much to do. Too little time._

_I feel terrible that I made you all wait such a long time to finally belt this chapter out. Worse still, I don't feel it's particularly well done. Still, I'll let you be the judge of that, and if you find it particularly disappointing, I can assure you my next entry will show improvement. Regardless, you are free (and encouraged) to read on._

_**Mr. Phenomenal**__: Right? People seem to just skate over him. I suppose since he's more of an introvert. Oh well. As far as Namine being nice to Riku, that was supposed to be explained at the end of last chapter, but since I cut it short, it's explained briefly in this chapter. Read on, my friend, and you shall find your answers._

_**Hattie**__: Well, I'm glad I could give you that new experience. I like to consider my ability to characterize Riku as pretty strong, since he's been my favorite character by far since the first game. The other characters are always a bit harder for me, but Riku's personality comes naturally to me._

_**Guest**__: That was only half intentional, but I'm glad it worked out for the chapter. Thanks for reviewing._

_**Anon**__: Thank you for reviewing. I know that I do make some typos here and there since I tend to type these chapters out in one-sitting and usually feel too tired to proofread. I have plans to go back and edit everything and polish it up, but for now, I want to just blaze through as many chapters as I can and put the finishing touches on later. As for the fight scenes, thanks, I've been working on those techniques for a while. I try and keep things acrobatic and different and really involve the environment, though sometimes I worry I get a little too... gimmick-y. Anyways, your feedback is much appreciated._

Ch. 8: The Night

**Sometimes I lie awake at night, and ask, "Where have I gone wrong?" and a voice says back to me, "This is going to take more than one night." -Charles M. Schulz  
**

".." Riku stared down at the newcomer with an intense curiosity, surveying from afar with an almost animalistic discipline. He crouched at the edge of the building, his eyes flitting over Leon, scanning him, observing how confidently he held himself, his strange gun-sword weapon slung over his shoulder casually. Still, his face held a certain ferocity to it; it was expressionless, yet Riku couldn't help but feel he was being glared at.

Despite himself, Riku couldn't help but feel excited. It had been a long while since he had been treated to such a strong opponent. Well... granted, the Organization members had been strong, but Riku sensed a different aura about his opponent. A sense of dignity and honor, qualities that had been lacking in his struggles of late.

Leon stared up at Riku without flinching as the younger boy cocked his head to and fro, looking him over. He held his gaze for a long moment before half turning to Yuffie.

"Yuffie," he said. "What can you tell me about this kid?'

Yuffie pressed a finger to her lips and stuck her chin out.

"Not much... I only just met him. Well. I say met. It was more of encountered. Or discovered. Discovered is like encountered, right? He sort of-"

"Yuffie."

"Right. He's fast. He uses the darkness. He can do the dark portal teleport thing. That's how he caught me, snagged me right out of the air, and..." Yuffie frowned, as she recounted the recent events.

"What is it?" Leon asked, feeling mild surprise that Yuffie has gone deep enough into thought to remain silent for a moment.

"It's just... the way he tackled me, I should have fallen flat onto the building. But I didn't. I landed on top of him, but he's definitely stronger and he was in control of the fall, so it's not like I could have just flipped him to the bottom. It's... it's almost as if-"

"You're thinking about it too much," Leon cut in. "For now, it's enough that he's wielding the darkness and hostile. We'll worry about the rest after he's been subdued."

A cold wind blew through the air, and the sky was beginning to glow with pink and orange as the sun drew closer to the horizon. Leon's eyes cast sideways for a moment before returning to Riku.

"Who's the girl?"

Yuffie shrugged. "No idea. She's just a tagalong. Barely noticeable."

Leon squinted his eyes at the girl for a moment, before returning his stare to Riku.

"Um... Riku? Shouldn't we take the opportunity to run?" Namine said, looking over her shoulder at the empty and open cast of buildings. The eerie approaching shadow made them look like tombstones riddled with cracks and holes, a graveyard of a civilization past.

"Not just yet," Riku said, his voice low as he focused himself entirely on Leon.

"Well... why not?" Namine said, a bit unnerved by the uncomfortable silence. Night would fall soon.

"Because... I'm not sure that I'm fast enough," Riku said, giving the gunblade another glance. "For now, wait here."

"Wait here... hey, wait!" Namine said, but Riku tensed and sprung from his position, rocketing towards Leon, his blade drawn back and ready to thrust.

Leon hardly moved, just shifted his weight and waved Yuffie away with his spare hand. As Riku approached, Leon stepped forward and swung down and across, forcing Riku to shift awkwardly in midair to block. The impact of blade on blade sent a shiver through the air, and Riku's arm rattled and rung with the force of the clash. Leon's stance shifted and he followed through with the ferocious swing, sending Riku hurtling back over the edge of the building.

Riku gritted his teeth and forced his blade into the side of the building he had jumped off, dragging it through stone and wood to slow his fall. As he reached a complete stop, he planted his feet flat against the side of the building and rocketed back towards the edge of the building.

He landed, the toes of his boots just at the edge of the building. Leon showed no sign of surprise, just swung down in the same fashion as before. Riku crouched and leaned to avoid the blade, which sizzled and crackled through the air, leaving a red scar of flame in its wake. Leon's eyes narrowed as he grasped the handle of the gunblade in both hands and prepared himself for a second swing. The moment he leaned into the attack, Riku had leaped into the air, doing a small flip through the air over him and landing on the opposite side.

_Like I thought. I'm a bit more agile than he is, but..._ Riku thought as he rested back into a nimble crouch. Leon wasted no time and used the momentum from the previous swing to twist his body and slash the gunblade diagonally. Riku dodged with a quick sidestep, but a wave of searing flame erupted from the edge. _...if I get hit even once by one of those attacks, it could be bad._

Riku jumped high and back to avoid a low swing aimed at his ankles, sliding back across the stone roof as he pondered the newfound information. It had been a long time since he had faced off with an opponent. There was a small itch to blast his opponent with a barrage of Dark Firaga, but the desire for a proper sword fight was all too tempting.

_I wonder how much stronger you are? _RIku thought, taking a deep breath in as he surveyed his opponent. The silence had settled back in and Leon had fallen back into his relaxed pose, his face stoic and dull. It was only a short while before Riku became impatient. He quickly shifted his weight forward, preparing to lunge forward and take the fight to Leon. However, the moment he had moved, Leon had dashed forward, his speed far exceeding what RIku had previously calculated. The shock stopped Riku dead, and he was nearly helpless as Leon clotheslined him across the neck, shutting off his lungs and throwing him into a panic as well as lifting him off his feet. As RIku's body ceased contact with Leon's arm, Leon, pivoted suddenly, twisting around and extending his gunblade so that the revolver barrel was trained on Riku's soaring body. Before RIku had even registered the damage from the first blow, Leon unleashed a salvo of magic bullets at him.

_Son of a- _Riku thought weakly as he crashed through stone and skidded to a halt again. He clutched his throat and gasped for air, just barely standing.

"That... was a dirty trick," RIku muttered, once he had recovered. He rolled his shoulder and neck to try and ease the pain and stretched out his legs. "Well, fine. If he's going to use magic, I haven't got any reason to hold back."

He stepped forward to the hole in the wall he had crashed through, only to fall back as his adversary crashed through, his blade glowing a vibrant blue and almost twice its previous size. As he fell back, Leon made a quick swipe at Riku just barely nicking him across the chest.

"...Give me a break," Riku said. "You could have slashed me open just now. Come at me seriously."

"You're not in a position to be making demands," Leon said, pointed the blade at Riku. Even with the few meters between them, Riku could feel the heat radiating off it. "In fact, here's my counter offer: Give up. Now."

"Like hell," Riku said, rolling his eyes. "I don't have time for this. If you won't even give me the satisfaction of going all out, I've got no reason to stick around."

"You aren't going anywhere," Leon said, waving his blade across, cutting the ground open.

Riku crouched again, and Leon tensed in anticipation.

"Just try and stop me."

Riku dashed into an open pocket in Leon's stance, drawing his attention to that point and then twisted around him, jumping off the wall and back onto the roof they had previously been fighting on, stumbling a bit as he landed. He turned around as Leon leapt to follow and shot a Dark Firaga in his direction. Leon cut through it without a moment of hesitation and landed with a thud.

"So, you really are a warrior of the darkness," Leon said, gripping his blade a bit tighter. Riku scowled and crouched.

"Gonna do something about it?" he said. His right hand held his blade and his left hand ignited with dark flames.

"Yeah. I'm going to beat you into submission. And then you're going to tell us everything," Leon said, and a ball of fire rose above his upturned palm. There was another brief moment of silence before they both fired of their respective spells, Dark Fire meeting Fire in a cascade of orange and violet flame, an explosion, a flower of shadow and heat dancing about each other but never mingling, bursting in every direction. Leon dashed in and Riku followed suit. They met in the center, Leon sweeping his blade right across Riku's midsection. Riku leaned way back to avoid being sliced in half and Leon brought his blade up over his head with both hands and swung down with all his might. Riku dashed to the side to avoid the crushing blow with caused the roof to groan, crack and collapse under its wake. Unintimidated and fearless, Riku jumped sideways and quick slashed at Leon as he moved through the air. Still recovering from his previous swing, Leon was unable to react in time and felt white-hot pain sear across his side. He twisted around and swung his blade again, but Riku braced the flat of his blade with his free arm and stopped it dead. They locked eyes for a moment and RIku grinned. Dragging his Soul-Eater across the length of Leon's burning blue blade, Riku rushed forward and spun off the blade, smashing his hilt into Leon's stomach.

The older man winced and hunched, but he didn't give an inch.

_Damn. He's built like a rock._ Riku thought as he ducked around Leon and dashed out from behind him, putting a sizable distance between them.

He turned around just in time to see Leon swing his blade down again, sending a wave of energy across the ground directly at Riku. His eyes widened, he quickly reacted, thrusting his blade into the stone. A quick column of energy erupted around him and the wave of blue flame dispersed around it. Riku winced and shrunk back as the fire singed his arms and face, a violent crash of fire. His arms crossed in front of his eyes to prevent any embers from flitting into his eyes.

When he lowered his arms, Leon was on him, swinging down diagonally, with a beastly ferocity. Riku only just managed to block the strike and had to clutch his blade with both his hands to avoid being knocked off balance entirely. Still, Leon upped the pressure and shoved forward, trying to force Riku to crumble. Indeed, he was leaning back, barely keeping the giant gunblade above him.

"You don't quit, do you?" Leon said, his face a stern scowl. Despite himself, Riku grinned, his hair beginning to fall in messy spikes over his slick brow.

"Nope."

Leon gritted his teeth in grim amusement and gave a mighty shove that sent Riku back several steps. He leveled his blade and the blue energy surrounding it dissipated. Riku relaxed into his own natural battle stance, staring down the length of his blade at his opponent. There was another silence, an unspoken agreement between the two warriors, and they charged in once more.

Leon swung up and across, the tip of his steel blade grazing the stone and showering sparks upwards. Riku stopped dead and shifted his momentum backwards to avoid being slashed open, then stepped deep into Leon's space, leaving just enough room to move his arms and made a heavy backhanded swipe. Leon pivoted backwards and brought his gunblade around to stop the Soul-Eater dead.

They went back and forth for a while, Riku ducking and weaving amidst the web of silver as Leon slashed again and again, his blade only passing through air, but never yielding an inch to Riku, calmly and methodically blocking every thrust, every slash that Riku made, foiling his every move.

They stood there for what may have seemed an eternity, neither one backing down, neither one making progress over the other, like water crashing on rock. Growing increasingly frustrated and impatient, Riku made a quick series of three thrusts, each of which was expertly blocked by Leon's spinning blade. In swift retaliation, Leon thrusted his own blade forward and it sliced deep into Riku's sword arm. Riku hissed and stepped back, hot pain filling his arm. Leon quickly grasped the handle with both hands and brought it down in a sweeping arc. Riku swung it in an arc over his head and slashed diagonally. Steel met steel, and the blades grinded and screeched against each other, Leon's glowing red and hot. They held that position for a while longer, Riku gritting his teeth and holding his ground. He glared up at Leon for a moment, only to see an expression of frustration and disbelief. Before Riku could react or determine the source of Leon's confusion, he had banished the look from his face and jumped back, lowering his sword a bit.

_What's this all about? _Riku thought, lowering his own blade just slightly. Leon lifted up his arm and fired a quick burst of fire at Riku, who easily swept it away and closed the distance between him and his adversary.

_He's moving slower..._ Riku observed as he feinted forward and flanked Leon with a quick elbow. _He must be running out of stamina._

Leon took advantage of an opening and made another slash at Riku's chest. Riku swayed back, the tip just softly breathing against him, and then quickly glided around Leon, making three quick thrusts that he wasn't able to guard. He crumpled away from Riku, sending out a sweep of fire before putting distance between them.

Leon made a small nod and gesture, and Riku glowered behind him as Yuffie leaped down to the other side of him.

"You're getting awfully desperate..." Riku said, beginning to seeth.

"I can't play with a kid like you all day," Leon replied, still not readying his blade.

"Damn right you can't..." Riku said, cracking his neck and licking his lips. "Nobody can handle me. It doesn't matter how many there are. I am... invincible."

With that declaration, he charged for Leon at full speed, a blur low against the stone. He appeared with a burst of clarity, crouched by Leon, his arm already snapping forward to strike. Leon shifted slightly to avoid the attack, but before the blade had even reach him, Riku vanished in a wisp of black smoke. Leon let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding just in time to look up and see Riku bat aside Yuffie's ninja star with one hand and slash at her with the other.

"You are no match for the great ninja- eep!" Yuffie said, cartwheeling away from a barrage of Dark Fire. Riku growled and warped forward, striking her soundly across the face. Yuffie stumbled back, but did a backflip and regained her footing.

"Didn't anyone tell you not to hit a girl?" she snapped, annoyance permeating an otherwise cheerful disposition. As she stepped back, she flung a handful of throwing knives with deadly precision. Riku also stepped back and spun his blade in a brilliant arc of red and blue, sending the knives flying every which way. He moved as if to pursue Yuffie, but quickly stopped and dropped to a crouch to avoid Leon's cross slash.

"Attacking from behind?" Riku said, a slight sneer in his voice. He grabbed Leon's arms, stepped forward, and heaved the older man over his shoulder. Leon grunted and regained his footing, but not before crashing into Yuffie and knocking her off the building.

"Dammit, Squall!" she shrieked as she fell.

"Leon!" he shouted back, never taking his eyes off Riku. The intensity was still in his gaze, but he couldn't quite keep his eyes open and his breathing was labored.

"What happened to all the tough guy talk? Still gonna beat me into submission?" Riku said, rising back to his full height. Leon spat to the side and growled.

"Shut up... you freak of nature," he said, and then charged forward. His blade reignited, the blue flames dancing up and down the steel and unifying into a humming blue saber. Riku just smirked and vanished, the flaming blade wisping through air. It was only out of pure reflex that Leon managed to block the sudden strike from the side, and it took all his concentration to block the strafing string of blows that followed.

It was a twisted dance, with Riku shifting and warping like a shadow on a wall. Leon's blocks became quickly desperate and he resorted to magic shields and wild spells with no particular aim, while Riku quietly and methodically tore down his defenses. Even still, impatience and anxiousness rose inside Riku as he watched his foe crumble before him, and the closer he got to victory, the more ferocious he became.

_Faster, faster, faster, faster!_ his mind screamed, and his muscles burned in response. He was a spectacle to behold, a bolt of black lightning, striking in a flash with nothing but the shriek of steel and shower of sparks to tell of his presence before he was off again, shadows trailing off his body.

Leon continued to fall back, his arms drawing tighter and tighter to his body. Finally, Riku appeared in front of him, his blade dragging across the length of Leon's arm before Leon could even register his opponent was in front of him. Another instant had passed and Riku and sent his gunblade spiraling out of his hands; one more, and Riku had Leon on his knees, the tip of the Soul-Eater just touching his throat.

"How pathetic," Riku said, his voice layered and deep. "How weak."

"What happens now?" Leon asked, glowering up at Riku. Riku's grin faltered a moment.

_Strike him. Strike him hard. Cut him open. Let's see the red_ a voice whispered in some part of his mind. And his muscles began to respond, slowly raising his blade high over his head, blotting out the last streaks of sunlight, heralding the night.

_Do it. Strike. Strike. Strike. Kill!_ the voice screamed, and RIku flinched.

_...I... but I..._

He paused for a long moment, and suddenly whipped his head to the side. Yuffie was some ways off, covered in dirt and debris, holding Leon's gunblade.

"Eat this," she said, and pulled the trigger. The recoil sent her flying back, and unleashed a great orb of fire rocketing for Riku. His eyes widened as the flames crashed over him.

Leon grunted as he jumped back and shielded himself from the ash and flame as best he could. As the flames flickered away, the last orange of the dusk disappeared from the sky.

In the wake of the flames, Riku was standing triumphant and proud, the flames harmlessly licking away at a shield of darkness.

"Heh. This is a new trick," Riku said, and then frowned again. Something seemed off about the whole situation. He looked down at the dying flames, and the reflective panels of his own dark shield pulsed with power. In them, he saw his own face reflected and just for a moment...

"What the hell is that?" Riku snapped, suddenly agitated. His blade vanished along with his shield and he fell to the floor, clutching his head. He fell to his knees and then his head hit the stone as he let out a strangled gasp of pain.

"What... what is going on?" Yuffie said, her chest heaving as she stood up and walked over to help Leon up. Leon sighed and looked over quietly.

"I don't know... but he's dangerous," Leon said, and hefted his gunblade, walking over to the fallen Riku. "We can't just leave him here." He lifted his gunblade high up over his head, towering over the teenager.

"Squall, don't you think-ow," Yuffie said, wincing as she stepped on her foot awkwardly. "I mean, he's already down. Do we need to go that far?"

"We need to send these black coats a message. A powerful one," Leon said, and hardened his resolve. He prepared to swing gathering his strength, when suddenly, a ghost flitted across his vision and he flinched.

Namine had slipped between the two and was holding on to Riku, staring straight at Leon. For a brief moment, the two just stared at each other. A faint whine came from the device in her hand, and they vanished in a dark portal.

Leon sighed a bit angrily, and let his blade fall easily in the space they had previously occupied.

"That was risky. How'd she know that you wouldn't just cut through her, too?" Yuffie asked doing a quick sweep of the area. Leon sighed one last time and looked up at the falling night.

"She didn't..."

* * *

_Back here again_ Riku thought to himself, his feet on empty ground, naught but darkness in every direction. He looked down and was somewhat amused by the fact that he couldn't see his own feet.

_How did I get here?_ Riku thought to himself. _I was fighting... winning, and I... how did this just sneak up on me? Am I still in the fight? Am I going to... lose?_

For a long while, that thought alone sent Riku spiraling deeper and deeper into depression, and he could feel the darkness of the air filling his lungs, suffocating him slowly.

Suddenly, a voice echoed down from the blackness above. It wasn't a clap of thunder like before; this time, it was soothing and calm, like a trickle of water. Riku had to strain to hear it, something he hadn't had to do for a while thanks to his darkness.

_It's okay..._

Riku flinched and the world around him seemed to stop.

_It's alright... It's over..._

The darkness imploded around him, shrouding him and he blacked out.

* * *

"It's alright, Riku. It's over," a voice said, as Riku slowly regained his consciousness.

"Where am I?" he said, his mouth dry.

"We're on the outskirts. I didn't know where else to go," the voice continued. Riku suddenly became aware of something warm squirming in his grasp. He lifted himself up with his free hand, and found himself looking straight at Namine. Her expression was a subdued grimace. As he looked at his other hand, he found that he was clutching her arm in a vice grip. Quickly, he released her and shot back a bit, and instantly regretted it. His entire body was aching and burning.

"Sorry," they both said at the same time, then looked at each other awkwardly for a moment before resuming their business. Namine's business was, as it turned out, wrapping Riku's wounds in bandages.

"How do you know about first-aid?" Riku finally said, trying to break the silence and not let on exactly how uncomfortable he was at the moment.

"I don't. It just seemed logical to wrap the cuts in bandages," Namine said. "At least till we can go get a potion or something."

"Right," Riku said, clearing his throat, trying to avoid looking at her while she continued following the dictation of her logic. As it turned out, it was only a short while longer before Namine finished and she sat back, resting her back against a large blue crystal jutting from the earth. Riku sighed and looked up. They appeared to be in a canyon of sorts.

"Where are we?" Namine squirmed a bit at the question, unbeknownst to Riku.

"You're... not going to like it," Namine said, looking away.

"Why, is DiZ here?" Riku snorted and rolled his eyes. "We're safe aren't we? That's enough."

"...Um... safe isn't quite the word I would use," she said, flicking her eyes to the side. Riku frowned and followed her gaze. He limped in the direction between the small cropping of blue rocks about them and peered out the edge.

What greeted him was a rippling army of Heartless, clamoring and crashing amongst themselves, an ocean of darkness where each drop was screeching and convulsing.

"Oh, what the f-" Riku started before Namine dragged him back, accidentally sending him sprawling to the floor.

"Ow! Dammit!" Riku said, practically writhing in pain.

"I'm sorry, Riku, it's just-"

"I know. It's okay," he said, bringing himself back up to a sitting position and rubbing his arm. Namine raised an eyebrow.

"You know?" she asked. Riku looked off for a moment in the direction where the great horde of heartless was sitting not ten yards off, scratching his head.

"...I've got some experience dealing with heartless. I know the ins and outs of dealing with them," Riku said. He looked at Namine who still had an expression of confusion about her. "I was on the other side for a time." Still no reaction. "The other side of the door."

"Oh! Right..." Namine said, suddenly feeling that she had overstepped some bounds. But Riku moved right along. It was somewhat comforting for her.

"The myth about them is that they sense you through the darkness in your heart and hunt you down. But that's not quite right. The darkness is what summons them in the first place. But when they are summoned, they attack all creatures of the light indiscriminately. And the way they sense creatures of the light is actually a special aura projected from the eye that separates creatures of the light from the dark. In other words, if you can see them, they can see you," Riku said, and then frowned deeply. "Eyes..." He bolted upright and stared at the surface of the blue crystal, tugging his eyelids back, trying to make something out in the reflection. After his apparent lack of success he turned to Namine, just slightly frenzied.

"What do my eyes look like?" he asked, talking rapidly. Namine was taken aback for a moment.

"I-I mean, I guess they look kind of nice but I-"

"No! I mean, what color are they?" he said, shaking his head furiously and staring intensely at her. She frowned and looked up at him.

"They're blue... bluish-green?" she said, making no attempt to hide her confusion.

"Are you sure?" Riku said, dead serious.

"Y-Yes."

Riku sighed and gave another shot at looking at them in the blue crystals, still unable to quite make anything out. He slumped back down defeated and apparently unsatisfied with the answer he had received. He folded his arms across his chest and concentrated hard. Namine stole several glances, trying as best she could to figure out what was running through his mind. Before she could muster up the courage to actually ask him, his eyes snapped open and he extended his right arm, palm open and flat against the air. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a panel formed and shone at his touch spreading into a full-fledged shield of darkness. His reflection was clear as day on it and he confirmed that yes, his eyes were indeed there normal ocean mix of blue and green. Still, it did nothing to put his mind to rest.

"I didn't know you could do that..." Namine said quietly after another moment passed, and Riku sighed, relaxing his effort to maintain the shield.

"Neither did I," Riku said, grimacing and settling back again. He looked back up at the sky, the black night above them. When he looked back down, he found his companion regarding him curiously.

"...What?" he said. She responded with a small scoff and a shake of her head. "What is it?"

"Nothing," she said reflexively but saw Riku's deep frown. "It's just... interesting being around you."

"Okay... is that good or bad?" Riku said. Namine smiled a bit and looked back at him.

"I'm not sure myself. But it's strange. And since I'm a memory witch who was locked in a castle for months, I'm not sure me calling you strange is the most flattering thing."

"Maybe you only think I'm strange because you're a memory witch who was locked in a castle for months."

Namine noticeably flinched when the words "memory witch" tumbled from Riku's mouth and he immediately apologized.

"No, it's fine. It's what I am," she said. "Anyways... it just seems odd that you spent the last five minutes fretting about your eyes. It seemed... kind of..."

"Kind of what?" Riku said, immediately growing wary. Namine looked up at him, a bit shyly.

"I don't want to offend you..."

"Just spit it out, Namine. I'm a man, I can handle it."

"...I don't know... it seemed a bit... girly?" she said. And Riku, the man, gaped like a fish.

"That's not true at all."

"I'm just saying what it seemed like."

"There's nothing girly about me at all!"

"... I mean the way you keep your hair so long and stuff..."

"What, I care what I look like and that makes me girly?"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean?"

"...Actually, that is exactly what I meant..." Namine said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. Riku looked at her a bit, his fist balled up and tight and then he looked at himself, at her, at the situation they were in, the way the day had gone and he couldn't help but start laughing. Laughing so hard, that the heartless might have caught him had they been creatures with human hearing. Laughing till tears leaked out his eyes. Namine just stared at him with an awkward mix of confusion and the infectious giddiness that Riku was now exuding.

"W-What's so funny?" she asked, taken aback by his sudden outburst. Riku wiped his mouth and picked himself up, still smiling broadly and chuckling in between.

"Here... Here we are... in the middle of the largest horde of heartless I have ever seen in my life... Sora, my best friend, is currently falling deeper into a coma... a bunch of random people in Hollow Bastion want me skewered and strung up like a trophy... and we're... we're... we're here talking about my fashion sense," Riku said, collapsing back into giggling fits. Namine had to giggle with him, if not in agreement with his humor, then just for the pleasure of laughing with someone.

Finally, they calmed down just a bit and Riku sat back up, still smiling and looking off into the distance.

"You know, this reminds me of all those times with Sora and Kairi when we'd..." Riku started and then the smile faded from his face and Namine could see him tightly closing up, drawing back behind his walls, those dark shields around his heart and it irked her in a way she had never felt before.

"Why do you always do that?" she blurted out, and Riku put on a confused face that Namine was painfully aware was a mask.

"Do what? What're you talking about?" he asked quietly. Namine dropped her voice a bit too, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed to bring it up.

"Why... Everytime I feel like we're becoming friends you just... step back," she said, her voice dwindling. Riku looked at her a moment and then frowned and turned away.

"I don't really know... what you mean by-"

"Don't worry about it," Namine said, bringing her knees into her chest, and staring at the ground, her face red. Riku looked over at her, trying to fumble for words, and noticed, with no small amount of amusement, that her sandals were off.

"...Didn't have to ask me this time, eh?" Riku said, smirking a bit. Namine bit her lip and shook her head.

"I'm learning how things work," Namine said, allowing a little bit of pride to show through. Riku smirked again and ran his hand through his hair, wincing a bit as it ached and burned.

"That you are..." he said and then sighed. "Namine... what makes you think that I-"

"I said not to worry about it," Namine said, quickly cutting him off, but Riku took a deep breath and pressed forward.

"No, it does... worry me. It-...when I shook your hand, it meant we were friends," Riku said. "And it means that if you're doubting it, we have a problem. I have a problem. So please, tell me what's going on."

"...I-I just... It feels like you've been trying to ignore me all day. I mean, first back in the mansion, you seem to just gloss over some of the things I say, and you don't seem to want to talk about anything," Namine said. "I-I don't know, maybe that's just-"

"No, that's a... fairly accurate statement," RIku said uncomfortably. "It's just I... I trust you."

For a moment, that statement hung in air, as both parties tried to figure out where the conversation was going.

"And is that... bad?" Namine asked.

"No, it's just I... ugh... the last person I trusted... turned me to the darkness and against my friends and then stole my body, banished me to the dark realm, and the effects of that whole ordeal are still with me today," Riku said, shaking his head. "I think... it's not too unreasonable to have trust issues in my position. But you... if I didn't check myself, I would probably unload on you."

"And that's bad," Namine said, trying to confirm the whole situation in her mind.

"Well, yeah. It's unfair to expect someone to shoulder all of your problems and stuff," Riku said, scratching his head. "I mean, I think that's... look, I... I took my friends for granted once and I... I don't want to mess up like that again. I'm not entirely sure how to go about this whole... friends thing anymore."

"... Well, that makes two of us," Namine said. "Only friend I ever made was Sora and..."

"And look where we got him," Riku said, smiling wryly at her. "Well, we can bond over our mutual ability to screw Sora over."

Namine chuckled a bit in response and sighed, Riku sighing in turn. For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence. Because, dark and gruesome as it was, what Riku said was true: they perhaps were the only ones who could fully understand each other's guilt and shame, and it was no small relief that they had managed to find that common ground.

"Is that why you were acting so weird?" Riku asked, and Namine looked at him, quirking an eyebrow. "Back at the mansion, when you were all smiles and sunshine."

"H-Huh?" Namine asked, clearly not understanding what he meant, which only further confused Riku since it was clearly not her normal manner.

"Back at the mansion. You were acting all... excessively happy and bubbly," Riku said.

"Is that bad?" Namine asked once again.

"It's not like you," Riku said, and Namine cocked her head.

"I thought that was how friends were supposed to act," Namine said, and Riku's face contorted with even more confusion and disbelief.

"Uh..." was all he managed.

"That's... not right?..." she asked, looking confused and downcast. Riku was about to go off about how bizarre and outright dumb an idea that was when he reminded himself once again that here was a girl who had barely had any contact with any decent person other than Sora, a person who was just now experiencing the outside worlds, who was just experiencing interacting with people. And, in that moment, weighing the state of their situation, the rate at which he would recover from his wounds, the time it would take for the device to restore itself and they would be able to warp back into the city, he decided, just for the night, to cut some slack for the both of them.

"It's only right if you're Sora," he said, scoffing and chuckling. "He gets away with being the giddy idiot all the time, 'cause that's how he is. The rest of us have to act like our boring, gloomy selves and get what friends we can. Not him, though. I... I remember this one time, we were on the main island, heading down over to the school and..."

For hours upon hours into the night, Riku talked about Sora and Kairi and Tidus and Wakka and Selphie and the islands and friends, losing himself in the conversation, the gentle discourse and the sheer ability for two people to be able to survive the trials of a long, cold, bitter and dark night through petty conversation and an honest attempt to be friendly, until they finally fell asleep, the stars twinkling away like dancing lights in the black.

* * *

_Ugh. Like I said, not nearly as good as I wanted it to be. I don't know. Felt like I was out of the zone on this one. Hopefully things straighten out soon. If you're reading this and you've been reading since the beginning, I just want to take the time to thank you for sticking through this obnoxious waiting period I've forced on you. I really appreciate the continued interest and support I've received. Look for the next chapter before the end of the week guys. -CrashingWorlds_


	9. The Footprints

_I'm just going to stop pretending like I know when the next chapter is going to come out. I don't. Sorry people. Life's a roller coaster... and shit._

_Still, if you're bothering with this rant, this chapter's probably new to you, so yeah...enjoy._

_**Eisenstein:**_ _Sorry, I didn't mention you last chapter, got awfully confused in the process. Anyways, thank you for the lengthy review, it means a lot that people are taking so much interest, and it means a lot that you thought this was a story worth reviewing after however many years you've been on. Hang tight, we'll get to the fluff soon enough._

_**paupulegend:**_ _Yeah, those serendipitous lines of text pop up here and there, and they just anchor entire chapters. Sometimes, entire stories. Sadly, Leon's not playing a big enough part for it to do that. D'oh well. Thanks for the review!_

_**Guest:**_ _Aw thanks, you're flattering me. I've instilled a lot of self-doubt in myself because I believe it makes me more alert to errors in my writing, so it means a lot to hear those compliments. Keep reviewing for my sake._

_**The Dark Door:**_ _Cookies? I want cookies. I will trade you this chapter for more of them._

Chapter 9: The Footprints

**Invisible threads are the strongest ties.- Friedrich Nietzsche  
**

"Ugh," Riku said, taking a quick glance around the corner. The Heartless troop had barely budged over the night. At least, the troop as a whole. The individual Heartless slid over each other like incongruous blobs of darkness, individual grains of ash sifting across each other, never fusing but collectively one, whispering, breathing, radiating as one. They rippled across each other shifting in and out passively moving about each other like the mindless, oblivious drones they were waves of darkness lapping out over each other as rings of Heartless moved towards the outer rim while others converged inwards.

It sickened Riku that he was aware and familiar enough with Heartless that he was able to notice their subtleties.

"You should stop staring at them," the voice behind him said, and he quickly ducked back down, cursing himself for taking such a risk. "Don't worry about it. The device is primed. Even if they had noticed, we could have gotten out no problem."

"That's not the issue," Riku said, rolling his eyes at Namine's comments. She sounded so much like Kairi.

"What is the issue then?" Namine asked, tilting her head to the side as she rubbed her arms. She just couldn't find anything to do with her hands without her sketch book. They felt like such useless extremities...

"...The issue is, in a situation where we didn't have that device fully primed, I would have put us at lethal risk. And I can't fall into the habit of making those sorts of mistakes," Riku said, sighing and rubbing the back of his head.

"Why's that?" Namine said, and Riku sighed again, this time a bit exasperated. For all her similarities to Kairi, there was little ground to connect with her. She just didn't seem to understand the way things worked.

_I wonder if that's because it's new to her, or I'm just so backwards I'm not making sense... I wonder if Kairi would understand..._

"Because I make enough mistakes as it is. There's no point in letting them pile up," he said, stretching his arms out to the side, his joints popping and cracking down their length. Namine flinched a bit at every noise. "Do you get it?"

"I-I guess... doesn't that hurt?" she said, as Riku brought his hands back together to crack his knuckles.

"...A little, I guess," Riku said, making a small wince as his index finger popped quite painfully.

"Then why do you do it?" Namine said, wincing herself and feeling altogether uncomfortable. Riku stared at his hands a bit longer and shrugged.

"It helps me wake up and relax. I dunno. It's just a habit, really."

"Pain helps you relax?"

"No, I just... I dunno. A little bit does," Riku said, feeling equally uncomfortable at this point. "Not that I ever... you know..."

"What?"

"Never mind," Riku said, shaking his head. "Forget I said anything."

"...Alright," Namine said, barely a mumble, and Riku regretted his words for a split second. But it wasn't unreasonable of him to guard his space. They were friends now, sure, but that didn't mean all the doors were going to fling open for her.

Because, even after all this time, there was some subtle tick to Namine that made it impossible for Riku to fully trust her. Still, he would remain amicable until such time that he had a concrete reason to act otherwise. He could give her that much. He owed her that much.

"You're zoning out again," Namine said, standing and dusting off her dress.

"I am not," Riku said, rolling his eyes again as he followed her lead.

"Were too."

"Was not."

"Were t-"

"I'm not doing this," Riku said, cutting their battle short. "Hand over the device."

Namine pouted for half a second, before grinning and doing as she was told. There was something alluring about her smile, something that Riku couldn't quite put his finger on...

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, and Riku blinked back to reality, snatching the device.

"No reason..." Riku said, more out of reflex, and Namine folded her arms raising an eyebrow suspiciously. As he looked at the device now in his hand, he decided to somewhat amend his excuse. "It's just... how did you manage to use this yesterday? Don't you have to be able to open dark portals?"

"...Yeah... I mean, that's what DiZ said," Namine said, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible about the subject. It only piqued Riku's interest.

"So... can you?" Riku said, after a moment of quiet.

"Can I what?" Namine asked, still trying to dismiss the topic.

"Open dark portals?" Riku said. Namine hitched for a moment, trying to figure out a way to weasel out of the topic, but under Riku's curious (or possibly suspicious) gaze, Namine quickly relented.

"Yeah... I can," she said. Riku quirked an eyebrow, and another moment of awkward silence ensued.

"How... can you?" Riku said, quite confused at this point. Namine wouldn't meet his eyes as she racked her mind for an answer.

"I guess... it just comes with being a witch," she mumbled out.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Riku asked immediately after. He wasn't quite sure what to make of all this. Did that make Namine a creature of darkness?

"I...It never came up... anyways... are you proud of the fact that you can open them?" Namine said, looking up past her blonde locks for one brief moment at Riku. And it was there again, that fleeting understanding, just a quick pulse of light in the darkness.

But you learned to live off of those.

"No. I guess not," Riku said, relenting. Whether or not this secrecy would be an issue was a concern for the future. For now, his curiosity was satisfied. "Alright. I think we've spent enough time here."

Namine peeked out from behind the rock formation one last time, transfixed by the sight. There had been Heartless in Castle Oblivion, but never around her. It was laughable how new everything was and how cheap the second hand experiences seemed when faced with the real world.

Not that Sora's memories were cheap. Namine quickly scolded herself for even implying such a thing, but quickly returned to her observation of the Heartless.

It was transfixing. A colony, a typhoon, a hurricane of motion and energy. She could almost hear the anguish and rage in their clamor. She stared out into the heart of the hive.

And then it locked eyes with her.

The second it did, her breath hitched and her core froze, even as the voice in her head screamed at her to look away.

But she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to turn away and ignore it...

"-shit!" Riku said, yanking Namine back behind the rock, breaking her gaze. "Did they see you? Your eyes?"

For what seemed like an eternity, Namine was silent, just gazing a bit woefully at the empty space. Slowly, she shook her head no.

Riku gave a quick sigh of relief, before returning his attention to Namine. She seemed fairly perturbed by what happened. He considered asking her about it, but ultimately decided against it, pushing his fingers through the device, gathering his power and extending his senses into the city.

"...They're so... sad..." Namine said, quietly. "How can they bear it...?"

"...They don't really have to," Riku said, staring intently at the device around his hand. "They lose their minds. Their beings of pure feeling. They are the sadness. There's nothing to bear with."

"They still have memories," Namine said, a bit indignantly. "I can tell. They still have memories and hearts."

"And I can tell," Riku said, with fierce emphasis as he stared straight at Namine. "That those memories and hearts mean nothing to them. They're all drowned out. The only thing they can feel is the darkness and the hunger."

"...The hunger?" Namine asked. Riku sighed.

"When you use darkness, people like to say that the darkness corrupts and infects. Which is kind of true. But it's kind of not," Riku said, fidgeting with the device around his hand. Namine waited expectantly.

"And?"

"Give me a second, alright?... The problem with darkness isn't that it spreads like an infection. The problem is that once you use it, touch it, it becomes an addiction. You need more of it. And you tell yourself that you can handle it. That just a little more won't matter. So you take more. The more you take, the more you need. Eventually... eventually, you end up like them over there," Riku said, indicating the horde over the rock. He was shaking his head reflexively, a suffocating warmth surrounding him.

"...Riku, I-"

"Are you ready to go?" Riku cut in, his voice polite as possible. Perhaps that was how Namine knew to drop it there.

"...Yeah."

She put her hand on the device and Riku focused, opening the portal and shrouding them in a curtain of darkness.

* * *

A small dingy and dusty room hummed with the gentle blue glow of at least half a dozen computer screen, washing over the area. The room walls were rimmed with stacks upon stacks of books. A few spare stools and chairs were scattered about as well. A serenade of clacking keys filled the otherwise silent air. The dance of the typist's fingers was the only motion in the still room.

"Damn system," a gruff voice said. He reached over and slapped one of the screens on its side. A shower of sparks burst out the from the back, but he kept right on typing, analyzing and cataloguing the data as it popped up on this screen or that with a careful eye.

"Perhaps I am mistaken, but if we wish the machine to remain operational, I think we shouldn't be recklessly swatting it," came the response from a corner.

"You're darn right you're mistaken. Now shaddup," the first voice said. "Unlike you, I've got important work to do."

"Important work in my basement."

"You want me to stop?"

"I want you to finish your job so I can get along with my own duties."

"Ah, like sorting that mountain of books? Pressing matter, I'm sure. Maybe we can arrange them and build a fortress to defend us against the Heartless. Or maybe we just throw them at them. There seems to be at least as many books as Heartless."

"Oof! You impudent little-"

"Hang on..."

The hunched over man leaned in closer to his screens, taking note of the endless strings of numbers and variables flying by. He punched in a few keys, swiveled a bit to the side and looked at another screen, a map of Hollow Bastion with various signals spotting it.

"What is it?" There was no response. "Cid, what is it?"

"...Send a message to Leon. We've got a live one. Possibly the one from yesterday. I'll prepare the system."

"...Alright."

Cid stared intently at the screens as his fingers continued their frenzied assault. He worked the small piece of wood in his mouth around a bit, clamping down on it with his teeth.

"...We've got you this time."

* * *

Riku and Namine emerged from the darkness, still crouched, in a narrow, dead end street alley. They spent much of the first minute looking around and getting their bearings, a bit put off by the closed space they were in. Riku stood, his back pressed against the wall and Namine mirrored him, her back on the opposite wall. Riku paused for a moment, closed his eyes and took in a deep breath in. There was tension throughout the town, but none of it seemed to be particularly dangerous and none of it seemed to be dark in nature.

"I think they're on watch for us," Riku said, opening his eyes and scanning the immediate area. His gaze settled on Namine and he gave a half-hearted grin. "We'll have to be careful."

She nodded slowly, and they both turned to move forward, only to find themselves shoulder to shoulder, almost stuck in the alley. Immediately, they both withdrew. Namine was the first to recover.

"You can go ahead," she said, beckoning Riku forward.

"No, it's fine. Ladies first," Riku said, a teasingly sarcastic flavor to his words. Namine raised her eyebrow again.

"I would presume the warrior would like to go first," she said. Riku blinked a bit, feeling more surprise than embarrassment (though both were definitely there) and nodded, stepping forward. Namine fell in step behind him.

"You probably shouldn't have tried. Insolence suits you far better than courtesy," Namine said, a bit too pleased with herself. Riku rolled his eyes as he stepped forward, making only the slightest of sounds. He was somewhat impressed with how quiet Namine's footsteps were, even with his amplified hearing. She was like a ghost. Then again, she was very slight.

"And silence suits you far better than sass," Riku said, and Namine gave a small giggle which immediately quieted down. The next several moments went by in silence, as the two of them continued slipping through the narrow maze of alleyways.

"...Um... Riku?..." Namine asked, and Riku instinctively knew the conversation was going to head somewhere he didn't like.

"Have you... have you ever felt that hunger before?..."

Riku said nothing for a while, mulling over how to answer the question. It was a sensitive subject, but Namine was smart. At this point, that question was probably just a formality. Was there really any harm in answering it?

"I-If you don't want to-"

"When Ansem was still inside me... taking over... that's how he did it. He made me hunger and then he offered me a feast for kings. And I fell for it..." Riku said.. He cast his eyes up for a moment. The air was too still about them. And there didn't seem to be any sign of a clearing.

"Do... do you ever feel it now?"

Every cell in Riku's brain urged him to deny it as swiftly and fiercely as possible, but somewhere between the timid tremors of Namine's voice, the uneasy feeling in the air, and the softness of her footsteps, Riku was finding it very difficult to lie at the moment.

So he opted for silence. Presently, a courtyard came into view, and Riku made for it, quickening his pace just slightly.

"Riku... what did you see? When you were fighting those two... what did you see in the reflec-"

The moment before Riku walked out of the alley he whipped around, grazing his knuckled on the wall of the alley, and pressed a finger against Namine's lips. He immediately withdrew it, but Namine was already feeling quite embarrassed with having crossed another boundary.

"I-I'm sorry, I-" she started, but Riku shushed her quickly and she looked at his face a bit surprised. His eyes were flitting along the rooftops, and he was obviously straining his senses.

"Is there-" Namine said, and was immediately silenced by a quick glare which she took to mean yes, there was someone in the area, someone not necessarily there to help them, and she had better shut up before her big mouth got them into trouble.

Which, Namine decided, was not too unreasonable a request. At least, not from Riku.

They stood together for a moment, every breath and creak amplified, every scampering rat, an army all on its own. Riku's eyes rolled back and he closed his eyes again, focusing everything into his senses of smell and hearing.

He could hear his own heartbeat, the rhythmic breathing between him and Namine. He extended further and further, focusing everything he had onto just listening for a sign of things to come.

If finally came, well concealed, just barely above a whisper.

"-Merlin. We're-...-position. Tell Cid... -en he's ready."

Riku took a deep breath in, taking in the scent of the person he had just listened to, and his eyes snapped open.

"Time to go. Now!" he said, grabbing Namine's wrist and dashing out of the alley. Namine barely had time to process was happening. Before she could get her legs properly under her, Riku had screeched to a halt and Namine collided in behind him. Riku quickly grabbed her, keeping her from falling to the ground, beads of sweat forming on his brow, his eyes wide and shot with a frenzy of energy. Slowly, he lifted her up as they found themselves surrounded by a ring of the white circles they had seen the day previous.

"Claymores..." Riku swore, to himself, looking at the ring cautiously.

"So, you remembered? How flattering. Do you remember me?" a drawling, female voice spoke from the rooftops. Riku looked up scowling, as Yuffie grinned broadly down at them.

"Hard to forget somebody as irritating as you," Riku said, his fists clenching and unclenching. He was caged. And that was bad. Not just for him.

"Oh yeah? Well, guess what? You can-"

"We don't tolerate darklings on this world," Leon said, stepping out of the alleys and staring them down confidently.

"I'm sure you don't," Riku said, growing warier by the second. "But we have more important business to attend to, so, if you don't mind, we'd like to get the hell out of here."

"Well then just leave the circle," Yuffie jeered. "If you're so keen on proving that you don't mean us any harm."

"I never said that," Riku snapped, losing his temper.

"So you admit it," Yuffie said, putting her hands on her hips and smirking.

"I never said that either," Riku said, flaring to hysterics.

"Enough of this," Leon said, his gunblade cocked and loaded. "You either surrender and come with us, or resist and we'll put you down."

"Namine," Riku said, flexing his arm. "I can get out of this, but when I do, they'll definitely attack me with everything they have. When I do, you run out. The Claymore are designed to attack darkness. You should be able to cross them no problem."

"Huh? B-but-"

"I'm tired of waiting. Let's get 'em Squall!" Yuffie said, beginning to fall back to childish antics.

"I'm counting to three."

"Riku, I-" _I'm not exactly a normal person myself._

"One."

"It's alright. They should be focused on attacking me. That'll give you a chance to run."

"B-but-" _Are the machines configured for Nobodies too? I don't want you to find out like this..._

"Two."

"Just be brave, Namine. Get ready."

"I'm gonna get you," Yuffie sang from the rooftop, preparing her arsenal of weapons. Namine opened her mouth but no words came out. What was there to say in such a short time?

"Three!"

"Now!" Riku said, gathering all his strength in his legs. Namine closed her eyes tightly, and ran across the boundary, the minefield...

Nothing happened. They remained silent as ever. Namine opened her eyes and almost stopped running for relief.

Riku leaped into the air, rising high above the Claymores at his feet, twisting and flipping through the air. Midway, his Soul-Eater arrived to him in a burst of shade and energy.

Yuffie moved like a flash, bounding down the rooftop. Leon slowly swept his gunblade in a ring, tracing a circle of flame in the air before him, his blade charging with fire and power. As Riku soared higher, he stared down at his two foes, waiting for their move, hoping that he would be able to distract them long enough for Namine to escape. As Riku felt himself slowing to halt in the air, he looked confusedly at Leon. He was sure they would have taken advantage of his compromised position. He was more restricted in his motion in the air. There was no reason for them not to attack.

There was a burst and crackle behind him, and the last thing Riku did before he blacked out was curse his own stupidity.

His assailant struck from behind without, smashing downward with a gigantic weapon, at least as big as Riku was, and sending him for the ground. Leon dashed forward and jumped, catching the already unconscious Riku as he fell and tossing him roughly to the ground from a safer height. Riku's head swam with blackness and an angry buzz of pain. His mouth was very dry.

Leon looked down at him and set himself down beside Riku's limp body.

"Geez, Cloud, you didn't have to knock him to the next world over," Yuffie said, as she observed Riku. In her arms was a writhing and struggling Namine.

"You told me not to hold back," Cloud said, also alighting. He swung his Buster Sword around easily and sank it into the ground.

"I didn't tell you to ruin his cute face," Yuffie said, kicking his body over. It was covered in dirt and countless scrapes from his downward descent. He would also be receiving a large bruise across the whole of his back, courtesy of Cloud. It was to Cloud's credit Riku wasn't currently chopped in half.

"Enough. We'll take them back when he's come to enough for him to walk. Then we'll question them."

"Please! Wait! We're here to help Sora! You mustn't stop us! You can't!" Namine called out desperately. Riku looked so broken right now. She had to say something.

"Who's this Sora you and him keep mentioning?" Yuffie said, holding the younger girl's hands behind her back.

"Please, just... he needs a potion! Give him something!" Namine said, pleading with them.

"Relax," Cloud said, his voice full of weight. "He'll be fine. Give him a few minutes."

Namine allowed herself to calm a little bit with the assurance that Riku would be fine. Still, there was anxiety at the fact that they had been caught. And while Namine knew the people who Sora had befriended wouldn't ever harm anyone as helplessly at their mercy as she and Riku were at the moment, there was still the matter that...

"You have to remember! Just try! Sora! He was your friend!" Namine said, desperately trying to appeal to them.

"That's lovely," Yuffie said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, Squall."

"It's Leon."

"Whatever your name is. Just pick him up and let's go."

"...Wait," Cloud said. Namine's full attention snapped to him, as he looked down at Riku and back to Namine. His face was impassive but also a tad unstable, like there was emotion just waiting to get out. And she could see it in his eyes, just waiting to escape...

"This Sora guy...why... why do I..." Namine looked Cloud dead in the eyes and closed her eyes for a moment, sifting through her mind, through Sora's mind, searching desperately.

When she opened her eyes again, there were tears welling in them and every word she spoke was welling with them, too, even if her voice wasn't entirely her own.

"You'll find it. I'm looking for someone, too."

Cloud's eyes struggled and he staggered a bit, holding his head.

"For... your... light?" he said, unbidden. Namine nodded slowly.

"Don't... lose sight of it," he said together, and Namine stared straight into his eyes, trying with all her power to convince him, awaken him. Leon and Yuffie were staring, very disturbed by the exchange. Under other circumstances, Yuffie probably would have knocked Namine out, but... there was part of her that needed to hear this. That needed to know what was happening. So they watched. Cloud's eyes flitted between them and he looked down, leaning on his sword.

"...I..." he started, but Riku suddenly began to stir.

"Ugh... Ah... I..." Riku said, his eyes slowly fluttering open and closed. "Wha... Where... am I?"

"Oh god, Cloud, you hit him so hard he got amnesia," Yuffie said, gasping. "Whatever are we going to do with him?"

"Somebody... shut... annoying... ninja... up..." Riku said, holding his head and shielding his eyes from the light. Yuffie's lips pursed in anger, and she kicked him in the ribs.

"Oof," Riku managed and struggled to rise to his hands and knees.

"Don't bother. You're probably going to suffer a concussion from this. Won't do you any good to-" Leon said, but Riku was standing before Leon could finish the sentence. He stumbled back and forth a bit, before anchoring himself.

"Don't do anything stupid," Leon said, tightening his grip on his gunblade. He shared a quick glance with Cloud who gripped his own Buster Sword.

Riku's breath was heavily labored. His chest heaved and his face was a mess of dirt and sweat, his eyes glazed over and half-closed.

In a flash, he drew his blade and levelled it with his eye, fully prepared to strike. Leon and Cloud quickly raised their own blades.

"Where..." Riku started, barely able to form the words in his mouth. His world was hanging by a thread.

"Where... is... Namine?..." he managed, clearly exhausted. Leon and Cloud looked at each other and nodded at Yuffie, who pulled her in front.

"S-Sorry, Riku," Namine said, shrugging weakly. "I couldn't get away."

Riku stared at her for a moment, barely seeming to register her words, before sighing heavily, like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"I shouldn't... expect any... physical activity from you," he said, and Namine had to laugh, however anxiously.

"You really shouldn't," she said. Riku lowered his blade and used it to steady himself. Leon looked at Cloud and walked over to him.

"What do you want to do?" he asked. Cloud glanced over at Riku, then to Namine where he let his gaze linger. Then he returned it to Leon.

"You feel it too, don't you?" Cloud said, and Leon rolled his eyes, looking away, but not denying it.

"What do you want to do?" Leon repeated, staring Cloud down. Cloud sighed.

"I think we should take them to Aerith. She's the most sensitive to this sort of thing," Cloud said. Leon nodded and glanced over.

"What do you think it is?" Leon asked. Cloud swallowed hard and shook his head.

"I don't know... It's like echoes and footprints. Something that was there but isn't anymore..." Cloud said, very clearly perturbed. When he looked up at Leon though, he was full of conviction. "But I know... whoever this Sora is... we shouldn't act rashly."

"Hence Aerith," Leon said. Cloud nodded.

"Hence Aerith. Who knows? Maybe even Merlin or Cid can help."

"Yeah. If they can ever get over their marriage problems," Leon said. "Yuffie! Tie the boy's hands. We're heading over to visit the rest."

"Yay! Take this one Squall!'' Yuffie said, giving Namine a slight push over to Leon who caught her, scowling a bit.

"I don't have the stomach to tie you up," Leon said to Namine, after he had helped her regain her balance. "But if you try and escape, I won't hesitate to make things unpleasant for your friend."

"What do you plan for us?" Namine said, her voice soft and quiet.

"For now? We're just going to gather everyone and talk. If we find out you're a threat to this world, or any other world... well... we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Leon said.

"Now, let's get nice and comfortable," Yuffie said, her grin audible as she drew the bonds tights around Riku's wrists. He hissed and his head snapped back as she yanked his arms back behind him, so that his ear was right by her mouth. "Aw. Is that too tight for you?"'

"Not at all," Riku said past clenched teeth.

"Goooood," Yuffie said, practically cooing, and drew the bonds tighter. Riku hissed again and his breaths were deep and heavy. They had started walking. Riku's head was still too far from reality to actually keep track of where they were going, and the pain in his wrists was so acute that he had trouble focusing on anything else.

"Actually... they might be just a bit tight," Riku said.

"Good," Yuffie said again, and drew them tighter still. Riku let out a small strangled cry this time.

"Yuffie... if his hands get ruined by the lack of circulation, you're going to be the one to amputate them," Cloud said.

"Eh. Yuck!" Yuffie said, sticking her tongue out. "Hear that, kid?"

"One. Stop calling me kid. I'm fifteen. Not five. And my name is Riku," Riku said. "And two. If you're trying to intimidate me you're going to have to get a lot darker than amputating hands to scare me."

"Intimidate you? Aw, that doesn't sound much like us, does it Cloud?" Yuffie said, grinning broadly at her spiky-haired companion. "Riku. Riku. Riiiiiiikuuuuuu..."

"Stop that," Riku and Leon said at the same time. A silence fell over the small group.

"Well, gee, I'm just trying to get the name right. Don't all gang up on me," Yuffie said after recovering from the shock.

"Is she always like this?" Riku said, groaning. Yuffie drew the bonds tight once more.

"Are you always such a glutton for punishment?" Yuffie said.

"Eh. Only most of the time," Riku said. Cloud managed to chuckle a bit at the dialogue.

"Eh? Cloud? You can't betray me to!" Yuffie cried out in mock distress. Soon they were all chuckling.

"Y'know, you guys aren't all too bad," Yuffie said, looking between Riku and Namine.

"Yuffie..." Leon said, caution filling his voice.

"...at least, for shady, scum sucking, black coats," Yuffie finished.

"...and we were getting along so well..." Riku said sighing.

"Apparently, I'm still getting along with them fine since I'm not in a black coat," Namine said. Riku smirked.

"You're with Riku over here. That's bad enough," Yuffie said.

"Darn. I knew you would ruin this for me, Riku," Namine said, walking along, taking light steps.

"Always my fault, isn't it?"

"Well, it certainly isn't mine."

After that, the conversation quickly died down as they walked through the town. Here and there, there were ordinary people, mucking about their ordinary lives, struggling through rubble and debris, just barely getting by.

"What happened here?" Riku asked, his voice low.

"...An evil sorceress by the name of Maleficent arrived here sometime ago. She brought the-"

"The Heartless, I know that part," Riku said. "What happened after?"

"The Heartless were driven away," Leon continued. "And we returned here. Our world was never actually swallowed, so a lot of us have just been scattered to the other worlds. We've been trying hard as we can to find others and signal them to return. And we've been putting everything we can into rebuilding."

"And I assume you've noticed the motherload of Heartless on your doorstep?" Riku said.

"Yeah," Leon said. "But this is home. Nobody told us it would be easy or safe. We'll take our chances and deal with problems as they come. Simple as that."

Riku was silent. He had no right to speak from that point on. Here was a group willing to risk everything for their home, and he was a man who had single-handedly damned his own to oblivion. It took people like this to remind Riku exactly how much of a shady, scum-sucking black coat bastard he was.

At least there still were people like this.

"...How did it happen?" Namine asked.

"How did what happen?"

"How were the Heartless driven away?" Namine asked. Riku craned his neck to try and see her face. Of course, Sora had driven them away. She should have been well aware of that. So why...

Leon stopped dead and Yuffie seemed to tighten her hold on Riku's arms. This time, however, it felt like she was holding on for support.

"I... that is... it was..." Leon said, touching his brow just above his right eye. His eyes darted to and fro and Namine caught him with her steady gaze.

"We may never meet again..."

"...but we'll never forget each other," Leon finished, now cradling his forehead in his broad hand.

Riku looked around quite confusedly, between the disarray of people around him, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"...I..." Yuffie started, but suddenly the bells were ringing. All eyes snapped ahead as the Heartless trickled in to the entrance of the town.

"Crap!" Leon swore, drawing his weapon. "Get ready!"

"It's fine," Yuffie said, waving it off. "The Claymores will take care of it."

The Heartless continued to pour in.

"...or not?" Yuffie said, feeling quite small.

"What the hell is going on?" Leon said.

"The system is still hardwired to his signal," Cloud said nodding to Riku. Riku gave out a short burst of laughter.

"Oh, this is rich. That beating was well worth this moment of irony," Riku said, shaking his head.

"Shut up, Riku," Yuffie said, drawing the bonds tight again.

"Yuffie! Stay here and make sure nothing gets past you to the civilians! And keep an eye on those two!" Leon said as he and Cloud charged forward.

"H-Hey, wait I-" Yuffie said, but drew her weapons and got ready.

"Y'know, I can help out. Cleaning up your mess and all," Riku said, but Yuffie just yanked him to the side.

"Don't even think about it," Yuffie said. "There's absolutely no way I-"

"Heads up," Riku said, and Yuffie yelped, turning and throwing a shruiken through the leaping shadow. She took her large ninja star off her back and swept it through three Heartless easily.

"You really think you can keep this up?" Riku said. Yuffie jumped and spun through the air, twisting and flipping with the grace of a cat as she threw knives and stars, left and right. Still, the numbers pouring through seemed to be rising instead of falling.

"Shut up! Merlin! Cid! What the hell are you two doing? Fix this already!" Yuffie shouted. She yelped again, as a soldier took a swipe at her. She leapt over the blade and tore the Heartless below her into dust and shade, but a Surveillance Robot shot her straight out of the sky. She cried out as she fell to the ground, falling awkwardly on her ankle. She tried to rise again, but her foot wouldn't obey, instead shooting fiery, angry pain back up her leg. The Heartless sense her weakness and surged forward. Riku's eyes closed as he gathered his wits and power about him and a shield rose around them, pushing the Heartless back, though they immediately began bashing on the shield.

"Yuffie," Riku said, his voice serious and calm. "I can't hold this forever. Just let me help." Yuffie looked at him, clutching her ankle, looking horribly conflicted.

"I... But, I..." Yuffie said, trying to decide between the converging Heartless and the darkling trapped inside with her.

"Dammit, Yuffie, we don't-" Riku began but was suddenly cut off.

"Tie me up, Yuffie."

Yuffie whipped around to see Namine standing, her hands clasped tight and close to her chest.

"Take the bonds of Riku and tie me up," Namine said. "He'll stay then. You can still ask your questions after."

Riku cast his questioning gaze at Namine as did Yuffie, but with the clamor and ruckus about the shield, it didn't take long.

"Oh, screw it all," Yuffie said, stripping the bonds of Riku's hands. The moment she did, Riku rose up to his full height, the shield drop, and he spun in a full circle, drawing his Soul-Eater and unleashing a wave of energy out in a ring to push the Heartless back. Then he vanished in a wisp of darkness.

"...That bastard punk ran away. What a jerk," Yuffie said, as she drew the rope around Namine's wrists. "He actually left you behind."

"...He's still here," Namine said, wincing a bit at the rope dug into her skin. As if on cue, Riku appeared above one Heartless and dove down, plunging his blade through its body, straight into the stone ground. He angled the blade and scooped up some rubble, flinging it as a nearby troop of Heartless to ward them off. He turned and threw his blade, spinning and slicing through a small group. He returned his attention to the group he had held off with the rocks and charged forward, sending bursts of dark fire into their ranks. As he closed in on the first of them, he ducked beneath a clumsy attack and pushed off with his left hand, knocking the creature to the floor. He raised his hand over his head just in time to catch his humming Soul-Eater and swung down, executing it.

He looked up at the remaining Heartless, that writhed and thrashed in their own vile dance that he was all too familiar with. As they began to vanish, one by one, he slowly relaxed his stance.

"Ugh... I can't believe this... saved by a black coat freak with silver hair," Yuffie was muttering crossly to herself as Riku arrived at the scene. Namine seemed to be alright.

"What's wrong with my hair," Riku said, frowning and running his hand through it. Yuffie coughed.

"Nothing. Just had some bad experiences with shady guys in black with long silver hair," she said, hugging her knees into her chest. At least, she tried to. The second she moved her leg, she let out a small yelp of pain.

"We have to keep moving. Here, I'll help you," Riku said, holding his hand out. Yuffie stared at it suspiciously for a long while. "You can trust me. Anyways, I'm not going to run off with you leaning on me, right?"

After another moment, Yuffie finally accept his hand and he lifted her to her feet, helping her balance. For a moment they stood there, just staring at each other, finding grounds to trust one another for the first time...

...Then Riku let go, and with a muffled cry, Yuffie crumpled back to the ground.

"That's for nearly getting my hands amputated," Riku said, quite pleased with himself as he rubbed the sore marks on his wrists. Namine giggled a bit to herself and Riku chuckled.

"Dammit, Riku!" They could only laugh harder at that point.

Eventually, Riku convinced Yuffie to trust him again, and he slung her arm over his shoulder, limping down in the direction Cloud and Leon had rushed to.

They met them halfway, Leon raising an eyebrow.

"What happened to you?" he asked, eyeing Riku. Before he could open his mouth to defend himself, Yuffie started wailing in his ear.

"Oh, Squall! The nerve of these people! I was admiring my own handiwork after I had dispatched all the Heartless, but I admit I let this... this... this jerk out of my sight and he took out my ankle!"

"Uh-huh..." Leon said, nodding along, and Riku knew he wouldn't have to say anything in his defense. "And then he just... decided to carry you on back here?"

"Uh... well, I managed to make him feel sorry for what he did with my feminine wiles-"

Riku and Namine burst out laughing and Leon and Cloud smirked along with them. Yuffie hung her head in shame and defeat for a moment before laughing alongside them.

Leon looked over the group, Riku carrying Yuffie, and Namine in bonds before sighing. He moved over and undid Namine's hands.

"But, Squall-"

"It's Leon. And it's fine. They were just a formality at this point," Leon said, staring at the duo. "I don't trust you. I don't like how close to the darkness you are. And I don't think you've told us everything there is to tell. We're still going to question you. But... I don't think you're here to cause trouble or hurt anyone. That's enough for a little freedom."

Namine rubbed her wrists a bit. Riku glanced at her and she nodded.

"Alright. Let's go," Riku said, and they marched off.

* * *

"Yuffie! Leon! Cloud! You're back!" Merlin said happily, and Cid swiveled about in his chair.

"The Claymore system has been reconfigured for the Heartless. They're back at full effectiveness," Cid said, nodding at the group. "Those the kids you were talking about?"

"Nooo, we just decided to pick up these random people off the rubble and give them makeovers to match the descriptions we gave you last night," Yuffie said, drawling on. Riku smirked.

"Just I wouldn't have figured that you would be getting carried around by the same 'darkling punk bastard' you were talking about last night," Cid said, and Riku raised an eyebrow. Yuffie stuck her tongue out at him angrily.

"Enough. We need to speak with Aerith. All of us do," Leon said.

"Do you need to speak with me, or do you need me to speak with them?" a voice said, and Riku cast his gaze at its source.

A woman in a long pink dress with wavy brown locks stood before him. Even from a quick glance, he could tell she was grace and elegance personified. Her air commanded respect and dignity.

"Whatever gets us to the bottom of this," Cloud said.

"I didn't see you yesterday," Aerith said to him, and Cloud look away.

"I was busy."

"Can we focus on this?" Leon said, trying to avoid any distractions.

"What is this?" Aerith said, still staring at Cloud. Cloud sighed.

"Do you know of anyone named Sora?" Cloud said.

"Sora..." Aerith said, trying the name out for herself. She closed her eyes. "He sounds... he feels familiar... but no... I can't say that I do..."

"Yes! Yes you do!" Namine said suddenly, taking everybody by surprise. She stepped forward brazenly and everybody tensed. "You do! You do know him just... please... let me show you..."

"...We don't know you or your abilities. How can we know that you're not putting us under some kind of dark influence," Cloud said.

"I promise you... Just give me a chance... You'll know it's no dark influence or spell... You'll know in your hearts... Just... Please," Namine said, holding her hands out to Aerith. Aerith stood still for a while before finally smiling sweetly and accepting her hands.

"Aerith..." Cloud said warily, but she just closed her eyes. Namine also closed hers and Riku paced off to the side to try and get a view of what was happening.

First, their clasped hands began to glow with a faint mist. But it wasn't eerie, or even mysterious. It felt warm... nostalgic even. Then the two opened their eyes, both pairs glowing bright with energy and feeling. The air in the room grew restless as the two clung to each other. Riku glanced around, watching the gentle glow of their linked hands and eyes played out on the walls and illuminated their faces.

Gradually, the glow subsided, and they slowly released one another's hands. Riku looked first at Namine to find her entirely focused on Aerith, gauging her reaction. So Riku followed her gaze.

Aerith slowly raised her clasped hands up to her mouth, her eyes beginning to brim with gentle happiness.

"...Sora..." she whispered. Cloud stepped forward fiercely.

"What did you do to her?" he said to Namine, but Aerith was the one who responded.

"It's alright. They're telling the truth," Aerith said, walking up to Cloud and calming him down. He stared at Aerith dumbly for a moment and then at Namine as she shyly walked up to him.

"Please... You've lost something... let me show you," she said, and took his hands in hers as well.

* * *

Riku wasn't sure exactly what happened, but all of a sudden, everybody in the room had been reduced to an incoherent mess of broken records, pacing about and repeating "How could I have forgotten..." or murmuring Sora's name over and over again. Occasionally, they would look at each other and exclaim something about "That one time...", probably just to affirm and reaffirm that they were all experiencing the same thing. They were lost on some distant planet that Riku couldn't communicate with. Meanwhile, Namine just stood overlooking the room. She seemed tired but beaming and proud, admiring her handiwork.

So, safe to say, Riku felt a tad out of place in all the commotion. Presently, he approached the one who he figured was the closest to sane.

"Hey." Namine took a break from admiring her masterpiece. Riku had never understood using the word "radiant" to describe someone, but right now, that was what Namine was. Radiant.

"Hey," she said, and yes, her voice was just radiant, though a bit tired. "I guess this is a bit strange for you."

Riku smirked and cast a glance over the room once more.

"You could say that," he said. Namine followed his glance and smiled.

"All of these people are friends that Sora made while he was searching for... you and Kairi," Namine said, trailing off a bit towards the end and eyeing Riku. Riku brushed it off.

"But they said that they didn't know him," Riku said, staring intently at the lot. Namine nodded slowly, and Riku could practically see her radiance diminish.

"As...As a result of my... tampering with Sora's memories," Namine said. "A lot of people have lost their memories of him."

"What?" Riku said, his head snapping fixed on Namine. "How many?"

"A-All of them..." Namine said, old woes quickly overshadowing the momentary glory. "When a chain is broken and put together, the links between it and others fall apart as well. They exist exactly the same... but without any recollection of the original chain they were connected to."

Riku stared at Namine for what seemed like a long while, his expression mixing confusion and frustration steadily that felt like the slow cut of cold steel through flesh to her. As Aerith approached her, she felt small relief in having an excuse to look away, but the numb pain lingered at the pit of her stomach.

"You... you must tell us..." Aerith said, looking pointedly at Namine. "You must tell us how we had forgotten this."

"Of course..." Namine said. "It's a long story though."

"We have all the time in the world for Sora," Aerith said, as the group game together. Namine surveyed them all momentarily before taking a deep breath and nodding.

"Well, I guess it starts with a castle and a choice..."

* * *

"...and that's why we've come here," Namine said. "We have to collect Sora's scattered memories and piece them back together."

Silence settled in on the group as they sat there, for the moment unsure how to receive the news. Finally, Cid stood up.

"Well, what're we waitin' for? Kid needs our help," Cid said. "We need to go help him. We owe him that much."

"It's not that simple-" Leon began, but was quickly cut off.

"The hell it ain't," Cid said, wiping his mouth quickly with the back of his hand. "He helped us. What kind of people are we don't help him."

"He's not the only one here who needs help," Cloud said, his arms folded.

"There's a lot of people here... who we called, telling them it was safe to return and rebuild their lives," Aerith said, her expression one of sadness and regret. "If we leave now, we'll leave them defenseless."

"Defenseless? The Claymore system is up and running at full strength," Cid said.

"In other words, they're defenseless," Yuffie said.

"Shaddup! I can't believe you people!" Cid said.

"Yes, you can. And some part of you knows we're right," Aerith said, closing her eyes. Cid grimaced and worked the stick in his mouth around furiously.

"Then... maybe we can have a few of us go to help them and a few stay behind..." Cid said, struggling for an answer.

"What, you don't trust us to handle it?" Riku said, humorless and tired. Cid whirled on him.

"Darn right, I don't. Who're you even supposed to be?" Cid said, eyeing him strangely. Riku opened his mouth but Cid cut him off. "Doesn't matter. Any type of dark edge punk like you just spells out trouble. I don't trust you to handle this in the slightest."

"Shut up," Riku said, seething at this point. "Don't talk like you know me, old man. I've known Sora longer and I owe him more than you can possibly imagine."

"Oh really? Then where were you when he ended up in this mess, huh?" Cid said. Riku's fist immediately tightened and a nearby stack of books exploded into dark fire.

"My books!" Merlin exclaimed crying out and running towards them. Riku's eyes flashed back to them and he quickly banished the flames. He took one look at his hand and then the rest of the people in the room and then he turned on his heel, leaving immediately and slamming the door behind him.

"Riku, wait-" Namine said, and moved to go after him, but Aerith stood instead.

"Cid, sit down and keep quiet," she said, her voice calm as ever. "And Namine, don't worry. I'll go after Riku."

"A-Are you sure," Namine said, but Aerith just smiled.

"I can read people very well, Namine. Even without connecting minds with someone," she said, and then moved up the stairs. Cloud caught her as she started up.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" he said, and Aerith just smiled again.

"He's a lost boy who doesn't know how to believe in himself," Aerith said. "I have experience with those sorts."

Cloud looked at her a moment longer, and then nodded.

* * *

Riku stared at his hand, opening and closing it again intently. He had scratched his palm on a rock, and the blood was trickling out from under the ripped glove. The glove and cut would repair themselves soon. For now, Riku was focusing on the warm, wet pain radiating from his hand. It helped to distract him from the cold, empty, dry one resonating in his stomach.

He hadn't felt such pure rage in a long while. He had been frustrated over the past few weeks, desperate even. But not angry. Not like this.

"I can heal you," Aerith said, and Riku scoffed a bit.

"Sure you can," he said. He could hear Aerith giggle a bit.

"I meant your hand and that ugly bruise across your back," Aerith said, and Riku blinked, a bit embarrassed.

"O-Oh...," was all he said, and Aerith moved over and the familiar green leaves of energy flitted about him as Aerith healed him. It was cool and refreshing and he could feel the burning in his palm and the the throbbing ache along his back that he had been ignoring relaxed and disappeared. "Thank you..."

"No need to thank me," Aerith said. "I'm sorry if what Cid said upset you. He means well."

"It's fine," Riku said. "He's not wrong."

"You must be Riku," Aerith said. "Sora talked much about you."

"Did he now?" Riku said, a bit curt. He wasn't much liking the idea of hearing what Sora had talked about him during those stages of their relationship.

"Well, no," Aerith said, giving a small laugh. "But he was absolutely determined to find you."

Riku swallowed hard, trying to erase the dry, empty, coldness that ate away at him.

"I guess even Sora has his shortcomings," Riku said.

"And what would those be?" Aerith said, and Riku gazed at her tiredly. There was no way for him to tell what she was playing at, but at this point, Riku was sure he didn't care.

"Can't make the hard choices. Thinks he can save everyone," Riku said. "It'll land him in real trouble some day. Has landed him in real trouble."

For a moment, the statement hung in the air, and Riku had to consider whether that was what he honestly believed or what he wanted to believe. Maybe Sora could save everyone all the time. Maybe Riku was just saying he couldn't so that he could justify his own failure. By saying that Sora would fail eventually. Maybe it was just his own weak heart's way of living with what it had done...

"I suppose you're right," Aerith said, and Riku's gaze returned to her, questioning and curious. "Then it's good he has a friend like you to get him out of that trouble."

Riku shook his head and scowled.

"That's not what I am. I'm a traitor. It's my fault that he's in that pod," Riku said, his silver bangs falling messily about his eyes. "My heart knows that."

"I don't think the heart of a traitor would ever torment itself the way yours does," Aerith said, and Riku just ran his hands through his hair, exasperated and exhausted.

"What do you know about my heart? What do you know about me? Nothing, " Riku said, fiercely emphasizing the nothing. They were sweet words... no, sweet lies, that were pouring from her mouth like a tempting honey, and he couldn't accept them. He couldn't let himself fall for that trap.

"I know that sometimes it's easier to write yourself off as a bad person than admit you made a mistake," Aerith said, and the words struck a chord with Riku. "And I know that you aren't a bad person. You've just made bad choices."

"Isn't that what makes a bad person? Maybe I am just a good person who made some mistakes, but those mistakes nearly cost the entire Realm of Light. I... I can't ever let myself... never again..." Riku said, still resisting.

"You know it isn't," Aerith said, resting a hand on his shoulder. Riku flinched but didn't brush her off. "Riku. You won't help anyone by doing this. You're only hurting yourself."

"Maybe I deserve to hurt," Riku said, his voice just above a whisper at this point.

"Nobody does," Aerith said, tightening her hold on him. Riku took a shuddering breath and hung his head lower, staring at his hand that had previously been cut.

"... I wanted to kill him," Riku said. "Hurt him in any way possible. The voice in my head was screaming at me to cut myself loose and do anything and everything to hurt him."

"And I wanted to slap him," Aerith said. "Looks like we both managed to exercise some self-control."

Riku let out a choked laugh, and his shoulders shivered. He could feel it stabbing in his heart, burning in his eyes...

_No... I'm not shedding tears... not in front of her._

"You walk a dangerous road, Riku," Aerith said. "Perhaps more dangerous than even Sora's. There are many trials yet, both within and without, some more demanding than you can possibly imagine."

"Gee, thanks," Riku said, rubbing his eyes. "That's something to look forward." Aerith smiled.

"Tell me, Riku: When I said that, did you even for a second consider giving up?"

"No, of course not,," Riku said, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

Aerith just shook her head and laughed. She stood up and offered Riku her hand.

"Come on. Let's go back to the others," she said, Riku looked up at her and took her hand after a moment, following her back.

* * *

When Riku returned, the remaining people were sitting around talking solemnly in low voices. Cloud stood straight as Aerith walked in and Namine cast a look at Riku. Riku rolled his eyes and smirked, Namine smiled ins response.

"We've heard her story," Leon said, after a moment. "Now let's hear yours."

Riku stopped dead in his tracks and glanced around. Here he was, surrounded by strangers, strong ones at that, and asked to confess his crimes. His gaze lingered on Namine who bit her lip and then on Aerith who met his gaze and nodded. Riku sighed.

"I'll keep things short," Riku said. "The one called Ansem, the one Sora defeated... I was his puppet. Ansem... used the darkness in my heart against me. Made me his vessel. He stole my body and mind, then used me to fight against Sora. Then he banished me to the other side of the door, the Realm of Darkness. It's been a long fight, but I've managed to take my heart back... however tainted it is. Now, I'm helping Namine collect Sora's scattered memories. I've got a debt to pay to him. To the worlds."

"And the black coats, this Organization XIII... do we have any idea what they want?" Leon said. Riku looked at Namine for a moment.

"Not exactly. The Organization is an order of sentient Nobodies," Riku said.

"They're a group of people without hearts," Namine cut in. "While we can't be certain, we can assume that they're searching for a way to reverse their transformation."

Riku cast her a confused glance, but Namine brushed it off.

"That alone isn't enough information," Leon said. "We have no idea of what they're planning. Only that it doesn't bode well for us..."

"We can keep you updated," Riku said, and now Namine cast Riku a confused glance. Slowly, the group turned to Riku. "When we find out information on the Organization, we'll pass it on to you."

"...Really? You would do that?" Merlin asked, adjusting his spectacles. Riku frowned.

"Why wouldn't I?" he said. Silence hung in the air for a moment as the group processed that statement. And, for whatever reason, Aerith was smiling gently at him. "What is it?"

"Nevermind," Leon said. "We would appreciate any information you have, and of course, we'll pass along anything we find out."

"Alright then," Riku said, nodding. Cid stepped up to him, and Riku tensed immediately.

"Listen, punk," Cid said, rubbing the back of his head. "I... I got a bit worked up back there. Just feel like crap, knowing I can't do anything to help that kid out."

Riku sighed tiredly. He knew the feeling.

"It's alright," Riku said. "I understand."

"No, listen," Cid said. "I don't know you, and I don't trust you. And I don't like how close you are to the darkness. But right now, you're the only one helping Sora, and I know that whatever these Organization XIII bastards are planning... we'll need Sora soon. That means that the worlds are depending on you for now."

"Thanks. I feel a lot more relaxed now," Riku said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Shaddup. I can't help Sora. But I can help you," Cid said. "Leon and Yuffie tell me that you're travelling with some dark portal device?"

"Yeah... so?" Riku said.

"I don't know you're whole situation, but I know that dark portals between worlds takes a lot of energy and pose a lot of risk," Cid said.

"What choice do we have?" Riku said, shrugging.

"If you shut up a minute, I'll tell you," Cid said, tossing a block to Riku. He glanced at it.

"This is a..."

"A key gummi-block. There's a small ship not too far off. She's a bit old, but fast. She'll get you where you need to go," Cid said, trying to avoid eye contact with Riku. Riku stared at the block then at the group around him that was nodding its approval and finally at Namine, who seemed giddily excited. Riku numbly remembered that she had never seen a gummi ship, much less flown one.

"I... Are you sure?" Riku said. Cid coughed and spat.

"No, I'm not sure. But I don't see many other choices. You so much as scratch that thing and I'll have your hide. Now look. I don't know about any pages around here, and believe me we've combed most of this area. But if you're looking for Sora's memories, you might want to try Traverse Town. That's where we met. He spent a good amount of time there," Cid said.

"Is that you're way to tell me to get off your world?" Riku said, smirking.

"Damn right it is. Sooner Sora gets better, the better," Cid said, and Riku took one more glance around. It seemed terribly odd for a moment, Riku thought, that any of these people were together. They hardly seemed like they were from the same universe, such a diverse array. But here they were, under the black tide of darkness, working slowly to rebuild what had been lost. And Riku felt a sudden and deep longing and appreciation for the people around him, despite knowing little to nothing about them.

"Thank you," Riku said. "All of you."

He stood rooted to his spot for a moment, trying to remember this moment before turning to Namine and nodding. She still had wild excitement written across her face.

"Wait," Leon said, standing straight. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't have stopped you."

"It's fine," Riku said. "It worked out for the better."

He stared at Leon a little while.

"You're strong for your age," Leon said.

"I'm strong for your age," Riku shot back, and Leon scoffed.

"What Squall means to say is, you're welcome to come back and spar anytime," Yuffie said, nudging Leon with her elbow. "Right, Squall?"

"It's-"

"-Leon" Riku said, and Leon and Yuffie stared at him. "What? Am I not supposed to do that?"

"What I said to Sora applies to the two of you also," Cloud said. "Don't lose sight of your light. As long as you do that, you'll be fine."

"You're welcome to come back, so long as you don't plan to torch anymore of my books," Merlin said, more than a bit miffed. Riku grinned sheepishly.

"You're welcome to come back anytime," Aerith said. Riku and Namine stood in awe, feelings of warmth and welcome enveloping them.

"Thank you," Namine said, making a small bow. Riku nodded, a bit awkwardly. Yuffie bounded up and hugged the two of them before either had the chance to react.

"You change your mind about people pretty fast," Riku said, trying to relax into the hug. Yuffie released Namine, then pecked Riku on the cheek and grinned.

"You guys come back and visit soon," she said and then shoved a very red Riku and a very confused Namine out the door.

For a moment, they loitered, trying to make sense of the entire ordeal. But one glance between them and they knew it was something beyond comprehension, beauty beyond the scope of minds like theirs if not minds in general, and that it was best they just walk to the gummi ship and leave without dwelling too much on it.

For a moment, that's what they did, as they slowly began their walk to the new ship.

" 'You guys come back and visit soon'," Namine said, almost perfectly imitating Yuffie's voice. Riku shuddered.

* * *

"This is amazing!" Namine exclaimed as she looked around the ship's interior. "Can you fly her?"

"Let's hope so," Riku said, moving over to the controls. "Let's see... the parts are a bit dated, but the controls are simple enough... Yeah, I should be able to fly this."

"This is amazing," Namine repeated, her awe showing in her voice. Riku shrugged and grinned to himself, amused by her childlike fascination with things he had long since become accustomed to. She caught his gaze and smiled broader.

"Are we going to Traverse Town?" she said. Riku grimaced a bit.

"I think we ought to go back to Twilight Town and rest a day," Riku said. "We took a beating here. We should regroup. Give DiZ an update."

"You took a beating here," Namine said, laughing. "It's okay to admit you're tired, Riku. Tired of getting your butt kicked."

"Watch it," Riku said. "Don't get too smug over there."

Namine just laughed and Riku shrugged it off. He had been taking a lot of beatings recently. He would have to up his training regimen at some point in the near future. It was clear his current skill level was insufficient.

"What are we going to name her?" Namine said. Riku raised an eyebrow as he began to start the engines.

"Beg your pardon?"

"The ship. What are we going to name her?" Namine said. Riku looked over his shoulder at her.

"Why are we naming it anything?" Riku said.

"Not 'it.' Her. Cid said it was a her," Namine said, and Riku just gaped at her.

"Namine, it's a ship. It's not alive. It has no gender," Riku said. Namine stepped up and whacked him lightly upside the head.

"She's our vessel. She's as much a part of this team as you and I," Namine said.

"Team?" Riku said, feeling very disconnected. Namine looked him dead in the eye, her stare unwavering.

"Yeah. We're a team, aren't we?" she asked. Riku let those words wash over him.

_We're a team, aren't we?_

For some reason, it reminded him of the team they had just met. How much he had wanted to be a part of that team. Of any team really. Just to be a part of something more than himself. He had been on his own for so long now...

"Yeah, we're a team," Riku said, nodding, and Namine nodded with him. Riku spun around and finished priming the ship and checking to make sure none of the parts were defective. Once he had, he gripped the control, and slowly eased them forward. The ship jerked and groaned, shaking Namine to the ground.

"Have you ever flown anything like this before?" she said, clearly jostled.

"Erm... do dark portals count?" Riku said. "I mean... I was great at canoeing-"

"This is nothing like canoeing!" Namine exclaimed and Riku just rolled his eyes, flooring the ship forward. Namine fell back again as the ship rocketed out of the world.

'You did that on purpose," Namine said grabbing on to Riku's chair for support. Riku could feel her breath on his neck, warm and soft. It tingled and sent electricity down his spine.

"Possibly," Riku said, and Namine laughed. Riku couldn't help but grin along with her.

"So, what are we going to name her?"

For a moment, Riku said nothing, just sitting quietly.

"...Well, how about the Highwind?..."

* * *

"I don't believe it," Riku said, walking up to the front where Namine was perched on the steps. She stood up, concerned.

"What? Is something wrong?" she asked. Riku shook his head and scoffed.

"DiZ... he never sleeps," Riku said. "I walked in to see about making some food, and he just walked in and told me to get lost and stop making so much noise. I was sure he'd be asleep by now."

"I guess he fits nicely with us," Namine said, giggling a bit. Riku rolled his eyes.

"He's way too old and... Dizzy," Riku said.

"There's nothing wrong with his balance," Namine said, cocking her head in confusion.

"No, I mean... nevermind," Riku said, shaking his head. He pulled out two bars of ice cream and handed one to Namine. "I couldn't get us any real food, but this'll do for the time being."

Namine took the blue ice cream and sniffed it curiously. "What flavor is this?"

"Sea salt," Riku said. "Sounds like some weird disgusting avant garde ice cream flavor... exactly the kind of stuff DiZ would buy. Oh well."

Namine smiled awkwardly and somehow managed to coax herself into taking a bite out of it. Riku had done the same and as they worked the ice cream around in their mouth, they both found themselves nodding at each other.

"Hey... this isn't bad," Riku said, and Namine giggled. In the blink of an eye, RIku had devoured his, nothing but the small popsicle stick left between his teeth. Namine giggled again as she swallowed her second bite

"You look like Cid," she said, and Riku spat the stick out immediately.

"I'm way too young to look like that old man," he said, a bit indignantly, which just prompted Namine to giggle even more. Riku rolled his eyes.

"Riku... I had fun today," Namine said.

"Of course you did. You weren't tossed between fights like a blitzball," Riku said.

"You know that's not what I meant," Namine said. Riku folded his arms and laid back against the stairs.

"Yeah... I know," he said. "It's funny... This whole... showing up to worlds with good intentions is kind of a new thing to me..."

"I know," Namine said. "Is... Is it wrong that I'm glad Sora's memories got scattered?"

"Uh... kind of..." Riku said. "Why do you say that?"

Namine sat there for a moment, still nibbling at her ice cream.

"It's just... all my experiences of the outside worlds are secondhand. Artificial. They're not my memories. And they probably would have stayed that way if this hadn't happened. Now I'm out there, and... I'm connecting to people without Sora. It's... amazing..."

"We're not really connecting to people without Sora..." Riku said. "We only managed to connect to Leon and the others through their memories of Sora. Without those, they probably would have done a lot worse to us."

"That's not true," Namine said, and Riku glanced at her. She sounded so sure. She turned to face Riku. "I brought back their memories, but only for a little while. There memories of Sora will fade after a little while. But their memories of us will linger."

"...But... how is that possible?" Riku said. It didn't seem possible. How could two people remember each other if they didn't even remember the common grounds they met upon? Namine shrugged.

"Who knows? If you ask me... maybe you can initially connect hearts with someone through someone else... but regardless, whenever two hearts connect, that connection lingers, not matter how change things," Namine said. "They leave their mark on each other... like footprints. They touch and imprint on one another... I wonder how much we'll imprint on them before Sora wakes up."

"Why? What happens when Sora wakes up?" Riku asked. Namine bit her lips and stopped eating. Her appetite was gone, and the ice cream was beginning to melt.

"After... after Sora wakes up, everyone we've touched will forget about us. They'll go on with their lives as though they never knew us," Namine said, sighing. Riku looked at her, and for a moment, he could feel her pain, that pain of never being able to fully and permanently connect to any one person. Not even Sora. However distressing being forgotten felt to Riku, it must have been a thousand times worse for Namine.

"Hey, Namine," Riku said. "How is it that I still remember Sora?"

Namine shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. Maybe because you were at the heart of Castle Oblivion when it happened. There's no real reason for it. Maybe your connection with Sora was just that powerful. But nobody could ever truly forget Sora," Namine said, staring at Riku, smiling softly. "He leaves such large footprints."

Riku held Namine's gaze for a minute, and it was there again, that understanding between the two of them. But this time it lingered, lasted. Riku could feel the connection between Namine, flowing between and around them.

Quietly, Riku reached over and took the remaining ice cream from Namine finishing it in one bite.

"Course he does. He's always wearing those ridiculous clown shoes," Riku said, around the ice cream. Namine giggled and licked the ice cream off her fingers. For some reason, that prompted Riku to laugh out loud, and before the two teenagers knew it, they were collapsed on the stairs, plagued by fits of giggles and laughter.

Some flights of stairs below, DiZ shook his head and grumbled.

* * *

_OH DEAR SWEET FUCKING GOD THAT TOOK FOR FUCKING EVER OH MY GOD IT'S FINALLY DONE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..._

_Okay... I'm good._

_So yeah... that was a long... loooooong... chapter. So you can understand why it took me this long to update._

_Anyways, this chapter might have been a bit boring to you all, since it was mostly talking and very little fighting. Honestly, I don't even know at this point. Was it too fast or slow paced? I've spent way too much time on it._

_Hopefully, the past 12,000 words have been an enjoyable experience. If they have, please review. I wrote 12,000 words. Just give me 50 to tell me I did a good job. Or even to tell me where I need to improve. It'll mean the world to me._

_Regardless, thank you for reading. Honestly. You could have given up halfway through, but you didn't. It means a lot. Thank you._

_-CrashingWorlds_


	10. The Lost

Hey there, sorry about the prolonged wait and sounding like a broken record and stuff. Finals are out of the way, one year of college behind me, and I've got ample time to work on this story.

By the way...

KINGDOM HEARTS 3, OH MY DEAR SWEET BABY JESUS IT'S IN DEVELOPMENT WHATEVER THE HELL THAT MEANS!

_**Guest:**_ Thanks for reviewing! And in response to your question, they'll forget Riku and Namine both for two reasons: 1. As you said, Namine is a Nobody, and Riku is *mild spoilers* also not quite human *end spoilers* and 2. Since neither of them were already within the memories of Sora's friends, when Namine undoes her tampering, they will vanish. Other characters who have not met Sora and will make their debut later will not forget Riku and Namine, as you will see. Excellent question.

_**The Dark Door:**_ And I get more cookies. Yay. Thanks for the review, I realize I make grammar errors here and there. I intend to go back and correct them once I've finished the story, but for now, my focus is on production. As for the Squall-Yuffie bit, you're absolutely right that Yuffie calls him that to annoy him, but I reread the chapter and I'm not sure how her calling him Squall makes Yuffie look stupid. A bit ditzy and whimsical, maybe, but I don't think it makes her stupid...

Who knows? Different interpretation, I suppose. That said, thank you for bringing it up. I'll be mindful of it in the future.

_**anon:**_ Hey, thanks for that. It's just, I'm so used to swimming my head full of battle scenes I feel like I fall short during the talking bits of stories. But if you think it was well-paced and interesting, then I'll trust your judgment.

_**Hattie:**_ Oh wow, that's a lot of words in one sitting, I don't know if I could manage that. At any rate, thanks for the review!

_**Scarlet Warhawk****:**_ Hahaha, well, that's not quite what I had in mind with the nobody repellent, but I suppose it's open to interpretation. Thanks for the review, I'm back to work.

Ch. 10: The Lost

**Not until we are lost do we truly begin to understand ourselves- Henry David Thoreau**

"H-Hey, Riku, wait up," Namine called, and Riku sighed, stopping completely as Namine jogged lightly forward for what seemed like the umpteenth time. She gave a quick apologetic flash of teeth as she caught her breath. The twilight streaked through the tree branches like rays of gold. "You keep losing me. I'm not that fast, you know."

"You keep getting lost," Riku said, taking deliberately slow steps. "If you'd follow properly, you wouldn't be falling behind."

There was a moment of flat silence, nothing but the light breeze running over the trees.

"Are you even listening?" Riku said, turning to face her, to confirm that, no, she most certainly was not listening and was caught up with what appeared to be a very fascinating block of air.

"Namine!" Riku said, sharper, and she snapped her head up. She was halfway through tilting her head and giving and apologetic laugh before Riku stepped forward and grabbed her by the forearm. She winced at his slightly rough grasp, which he immediately relaxed, but he didn't relent.

"Namine, listen. It's fine. We are just going into town to get some supplies. Calm down," Riku said. Namine pursed her lips and looked away shrugging out of his grasp.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Namine said, rather unconvincingly.

"Yeah?" Riku said, folding his arms to convey his skepticism. Namine glared and brushed past him. Riku just followed silently, not feeling comfortable pressing the matter anymore than he already had.

"Anyways, aren't you the tense one here? You look like you're heading to the gallows."

"What?"

"The gallows. It's a-"

"I know what gallows are, I-"

"Then why'd you ask?"

"I meant that stuff about me being tense. I'm not that tense," Riku said. He suddenly stumbled forward over a tree root and cursed under his breath. "And if I am, it's just because the Organization could show up at any moment."

"Yeah?" Namine said, and Riku shuddered again. Namine was way too good at quick impressions of people.

"...Just keep up," Riku muttered, as the town wall drew closer. The gap in the stone was apparent, a hole leaking the light of the town out to the shady forest.

"Well," Riku said, standing beside it and glancing at Namine. "Here we are." He half-expected a sassy retort from Namine, but it never came. Just a quick nod and a bite of the lip.

It was unnerving to see her so unnerved.

"H-Hey," Riku started to say, trying to think of some way to reassure her, but the moment the words were uttered and he fell under her eager gaze, he lost all confidence. He had no business reassuring her. Not him.

"...Nevermind," he said, warding off her now suspicious gaze and stepping through the wall and into the town.

They stepped in, one after the other, blinking and shielding their eyes from the glaring light of the small town. It seemed to be a completely different world from the one they had just emerged out of.

Riku paused to fully survey the town. The sun was beaming, straight from the horizon, a flood of orange rolling over. The entire city seemed frozen in gold and frozen in time.

"Hey, wait up," Riku said, catching up to Namine who was walking a bit hurriedly in some direction. She didn't acknowledge him in the slightest. "Namine? Do you even know where you're-"

The second his black glove touched her skin, she recoiled, and Riku followed suit. They stood there for a moment, staring awkwardly at their own failed communication, before looking away in shame.

"We have to get supplies right? Then we go this way," Namine said.

"How do you know that?"

"When we came through here... the first time," Namine said, beginning to move slowly. Riku fell into step.

"And you actually remembered something like that?" Riku said, scanning the area, looking anywhere but towards his companion.

"I am a memory witch," Namine said, her voice faint but sharp.

"Huh. I guess that would come in handy," Riku said, combing his fingers through his hair. Namine gave a slight flinch, but kept walking all the same. That was all there was to do. Presently, they arrived at a small shop, carved into a building. It was open and empty at first glance, but on further inspection an open door in the back revealed a well-stocked room. A young man with curly brown hair was leaning over the counter, a bored look in his eyes as he scanned over a magazine.

As they approached, he put down his magazine and gave a quick courteous smile. Riku nodded in return, but decided that he would leave the talking to Namine, seeing as she was the one who had approached the counter.

A mistake, as it turned out. Namine only stood there, her hands fiddling behind her back as she stared intently at nothing. Riku eyed her, and shared an uncomfortable glance with the clerk.

"Um... Can I help you?" the man said eventually, taking care to include the boy in the black cloak in his address, in case the small blonde girl in front of him intended to continue the silent treatment.

"...Yeah," Riku said, stepping in, immediately reaching into his pockets to pull out the list they had compiled. There were the essentials for battle, potions and the like, and a long list of other things DiZ had added after finding out their plans.

_I trust you can at least do shopping without plunging this world into chaos_ DiZ's voice echoed in Riku's memory, and he accidentally crumpled the list in his hand. The clerk cleared his throat, growing slightly impatient.

"Ah, yeah. We're looking to buy all of this," Riku said, laying the list on the counter, smoothing out as best he could. "So, if you could hook us up, or point us in the right direction, that'd be great."

"Hmmm..." the man said, looking over it quickly. "Well, I can give you some of the hardware bits and pieces, but for most of these, you're gonna want to go and talk to the moogle. And you'll have to go to the clock tower to get the ice cream."

"Ice cream?" Riku said, frowning and picking up the list. A quick scan and he found it, lightly penciled in: sea-salt ice cream. "That DiZ..."

"Eh, it's no shame. You're never too old for one of those. Even I'll pop by and pick one up every now and again," the young man said, beginning to fetch some of the items and set them on the counter.

"Yeah?" Riku said, leaning easily over the counter beside Namine. She blushed furiously and ducked her head. How could he stand this?

"Yeah. Tastes like nostalgia. You know what I mean?" the man said, laughing a bit. "I remember eating those by the dozen when I was a kid, hanging out by the sandlot."

Riku flashed a smile of understanding, one so charming that even Namine was drawn in.

"Anywho. You guys new around here? Don't seem to recall either of your faces?" he continued. Namine shivered a bit, frantically searching for an answer that wouldn't compromise them or draw suspicion.

"Yeah, we're new. Not really from around here," Riku said, answering before Namine could even begin to formulate one.

"Oh yeah? What do you think of it so far?"

"It's nice. Quiet. People are nice, too. I wouldn't mind visiting here in the future."

"Yeah, tell you the truth, it gets a bit dull sometimes, but I'm not about to complain. Once you've been around long enough, you learn to love it," the man said. "You know what I'm saying."

"Not really," Riku said, laughing a bit. "I'm not that sort of a person. I've got to keep moving."

"Ah. One of those types. Just you wait, you'll have to settle down eventually," the clerk said. "Dammit, where are those? I know we just got a shipment of them the other day..."

_Not if I can help it_ Riku thought.

"Your girlfriend's pretty shy, isn't she?" The second Namine heard those words, her face heated and she started trying to splutter out her denial.

"I-I'm... He-"

"We're not dating, but yeah, she keeps to herself mostly," Riku said, with a dismissive wave.

"Oh really? You wouldn't happen to be free for a date later?" the clerk said with a lopsided grin, and Namine almost screamed and ran. She so did wish she had her sketchbook to hide behind right now.

"Hey now, aren't you a bit too old for her," Riku said, easing into the joke. It was about time for this conversation to be over.

"Ah, hey, that hurts. I'm only 19," the clerk said, bagging up the items. "Anyways, here you go."

"Thanks," Riku said, reaching for the bag and handing over the appropriate sum of munny. Namine immediately snatched the bag, and Riku gave her a quick, bewildered look.

"Oh yeah. So up that alley over there, that'll take you up to the clock tower, and you'll pass the moogle on the way," the man said. "My name's Aiden, by the way."

"Riku," Riku said, shaking the outstretched hand. "And this is Namine."

"Well, maybe I'll see you around Riku, Namine," Aiden said, winking at Namine, who immediately began walking away. Riku turned and jogged after her.

"Why does DiZ need all this stuff?" Namine said, trying to write her redness off as physical exertion.

"Well, cables and microchips and screens. Seems like weird computer stuff to me," Riku said. He reached for the bag, but Namine moved it out of his grasp.

"Aren't you stubborn," he said, sighing. For a while longer, they just walked in terse silence.

"H-How..." Namine started to speak, her voice very small.

"What?" Riku said, straining to hear.

"How can you talk to people so easily?" Namine finally managed. "You talk to people you've just met like you've known them your whole life. How do you do that?"

"I... never really thought about it," Riku said, scratching his head. "I guess it just sort of happens. I don't think about it much."

"...I think about it as hard as I can, and I can't ever seem to find an answer," Namine said, looking so downcast, Riku could feel the disappointment in the air.

"Maybe you're thinking about it too much?" Riku offered, but Namine just shook her head and bit her lip.

"Maybe... maybe someone like me just isn't cut out for that sort of thing," Namine said, looking down.

"Bullshit," Riku snapped, and Namine looked up in surprise.

"Wh-Wha-"

"Come on," Riku said, grabbing the bag with his right hand and grabbing her hand with his left, pulling her along.

"H-Hey, wait! Slow up a bit!" Namine said, having to sprint to keep up. But Riku just kept along.

Presently they raced into the alley that Aiden had pointed them to and Riku let go of Namine's hand. She immediately fell back, gasping for air.

"What's the... big idea," Namine said between breaths. It was a wonder how she could feel so utterly exhausted while Riku hadn't even broken a sweat.

"If you want to be in control, you have to act like you're in control, and you have to practice," Riku said, folding his arms. Before Namine could muster up the energy to ask him what in all the worlds that was supposed to mean, she heard a small squeak behind her.

"Kupo!"

Namine turned around and looked at the small moogle behind her. For a long time, she just stared at the tiny creature, trying to understand her situation.

Realization dawned.

"You're kidding," she said, looking up at Riku.

"Not even a little," Riku said, but a bemused smile graced his lips all the same. "Like I said. You have to practice."

"It's a moogle. Am I supposed to ask it about the weather?"

"If you want. You could also slip in something about those materials we want," Riku said, waving the list for her to take. Namine just stared up at him, her expression a deadbeat look of exasperation.

"This is ridiculous," Namine said. Riku's eye twitched and he waved the list in her face again.

"You're ridiculous. You can't talk with a normal store clerk, so talk with the moogle," Riku said, a bit more forcefully. He stared her down, and she averted her eyes, rubbing her arm. Riku rolled his eyes and waved the paper around a bit more.

"...F-Fine, just..." Namine said, taking the list. "Just... go and make sure nobody else is listening."

"Namine-"

"Just do it!" she said, her face fully red again, and Riku rolled his eyes. He handed over their small pouch of munny and walked away.

"U-Um... H-Hey there," Namine said, smiling awkwardly. The moogle bounced up and did a small flip.

"Kupo! The weather's great!" the moogle said, waving its hand excitedly.

"H-Huh?"

"The weather's great, kupo!" it repeated, and after a moment Namine understood and giggled a bit.

"Th-That's nice, but wait until I ask, okay?"

"Kupo!"

Riku leaned against the wall just by the corner, his arms folded and smirked. Amplified senses were good for more than just their battle applications.

"S-So, um, I need to buy this stuff," Namine said, handing the list over to the small creature.

"Kupo! We have that! Give me a minute," the moogle said, excitedly as he hopped back onto his crystal. He immediately began procuring the listed items.

"Um... Eh... So, uh, how do you like the town?" Namine said.

"One minute, kupo!"

"O-Okay," Namine said, the flush returning. She sat quietly as the moogle conjured up the last of the materials.

"That'll be 700 munny, kupo!" the moogle said, handing over the materials. Namine gathered them up as best she could.

"Erm... " she said, finding that she would need both hands to count out the munny. She dropped the materials back to the ground and did so, slowly.

"So, has... anything interesting happened?" Namine said, trying to fill in the silence.

"I got mail today, kupo!" the moogle said, and Namine looked up and blinked several times.

"...Mail? From who?"

"Stiltzkin, kupo!"

"Oh... who's that?"

"Stiltzkin is a moogle, kupo! He travels everywhere!" the moogle said excitedly. "He's the best! He sent me a kupo nut!"

"A... A kupo nut? Is that... some kind of food?," Namine said, still wrapping her head around the recent developments.

"It's the best kind of food! I'm kupo for kupo nuts, kupo!" The moogle jumped off its crystal and flipped in the air, floating down gently and slowly. Namine could only give a nervous laugh at the bizarre experience.

Presently, the moogle touched back to the ground and it immediately hung its head.

"But kupo nuts are getting really hard to find," the moogle said. "You have to travel super far to find them..."

"Um... well... my friend and I travel a lot... I'm sure we can find some and bring them to you," Namine said. The moogle immediately backflipped.

"Can you really? That would be amazing, kupo!" the moogle said. It paused for a moment. "But take it to other moogles first! Mosh already had one, kupo!"

"Oh, you're name is Mosh?" Namine said, raising an eyebrow. Since when did moogles have names? And a mailing network?

"Kupo!" Mosh said, nodding his head vigorously, his red pom-pom bouncing to and fro.

"I'm Namine," Namine said, extending her hand the same as she'd seen Riku do. Mosh extended his tiny paw and placed it in her palm.

"Good to meet you, kupo!"

"Y-Yeah," Namine said, rubbing the back of her head and laughing softly. "Um... Mosh, is... is it alright if I-"

"Good to meet you, Mosh, but we'd best be going," Riku said, walking back from his corner and steering Namine away from the moogle.

"Eh? A-Alright. Bye, Mosh!" Namine said, as Riku pushed her forward.

"Bye, kupo!" Mosh said, waving vigorously.

"H-Hey, did I say something wrong? Why'd you stop us?" Namine said, forgotten self-consciousness kicking in.

"You were about to," Riku said. "Don't try and touch a moogle's pom-pom. They're awfully sensitive about it."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience," Namine said, a bit amused. The image of a young and curious Riku asking a moogle if he could touch its pom-pom was far too endearing.

"I might be," Riku said, his cool expression giving no indication.

"That's no fun."

"Get over it."

"Don't wanna."

"You're impossible."

"You're insufferable."

"You're intolerable."

"You're un-fun."

"That's not a word."

"We're not playing a word game."

"Oh, for the-"

"Hey! You guys!" a strong voice called, and Riku and Namine looked ahead. A familiar group of three approached them from what appeared to be the train station.

"Yo! Namine and Riku. I figured we'd run into you sooner or later," Hayner said. He was lazily gesturing with a half-eaten popsicle.

"Watch where you flick that thing," Olette said, ducking back as he turned to face her.

"What thing?" Hayner said.

"The popsicle," Riku said, folding his arms. Riku glanced over at Namine. She had gone silent again, but seemed at least more comfortable.

"Oh. Calm down Olette. I haven't flicked ice cream on anyone in like a year," Hayner said, waving dismissively.

"Only takes once to break that streak," Pence said, nibbling at his.

"Ah, shove it," Hayner said, devouring what remained of the popsicle and leaving the stick between his teeth. "Anyways. What brings you two here?"

"Same as you. Picking up some ice cream," Riku said, gesturing the train station.

"Ah, you guys, too? It's weird that a train station sells the best ice cream in town, but hey, whatever," Hayner said. He grinned broadly. "Hey, Namine. How you holding up?"

"A-Alright..." Namine said, her voice small and feeble.

"Cool it, Hayner," Olette said, shoving him to the side. "How long will you guys be in town?"

"Not long," Riku said, drawing the attention of Namine. "We're on a tight schedule."

"Oh," Olette said, visibly disappointed, though she made a show of hiding behind a polite smile. "Well, if you guys are in town, feel free to look us up. We hang out in the back alley."

"Where Mosh is?" Namine blurted out, and Olette looked at her, a bit surprised.

"...She means the moogle," Riku said, doing his best not to laugh or look exasperated. From Namine's rapidly declining expression, he assumed he was unsuccessful.

"Ah, yeah. Anyways, look us up. See you around, Riku. You too, Namine," Olette said, smiling as the trio walked away.

"I'm no good at this," Namine said, looking at her feet as they walked in silence. Riku had no responses that were both kind and true.

* * *

"Ugh, what gives Olette?" Hayner said, irritatedly throwing himself at a chair in their usual spot. "You totally just tanked my conversation with Namine."

"Oh please, did you not see how uncomfortable she was?" Olette said, sitting down lightly. "I swear, Hayner, sometimes, you are just clueless."

"You'd know," Pence muttered.

"Shut up," Olette snapped, a faint flush crossing her face.

"It's not like I muscled you out when you tried to talk to Riku," Hayner said, folding his arms. "And speaking of clueless, can't you see he's totally uninterested? He probably has a girlfriend. If not Namine, somebody else. No way a guy that sharp is single."

"Do you have a crush?" Pence said.

"Shut up," Hayner said, and Pence retreated into his snickering.

"Hah! Shows what you know, Hayner!" Olette said, beaming with confidence.

"Wha?"

"Haven't you seen his eyes? And the way he holds his shoulders? There's only one thing that could make a guy like Riku hang his head the way he does," Olette said.

"...Uh... chronic neck pain?" Pence said.

"Shut up, Pence," Olette said. "It's obviously heartbreak. Riku's clearly coming off a bad relationship."

"You're awfully sure of this," Hayner said, raising an eyebrow.

"Call it women's intuition!" Olette said, waving dismissively. "The main thing is, all I have to do is get closer to Riku, and become somebody he trusts. Soon he'll tell me everything. The walls around him will crumble and I'll slip in to fill the void in his heart. My plan is flawless. Riku will be mine."

"...Olette, you're surprisingly evil..."

"Shut up, Pence."

* * *

"Dammit, this would be so much easier if DiZ would just build a proper workshop," Riku said, as he labored over the ship, replacing one block at a time.

"Remind me again: why're we doing this?" Namine said.

'_We?' Don't act like you're working, you cheeky little-_ Riku thought, turning to face Namine, who was sitting cross-legged while eating one of the ice creams they had bought. He sighed. At least she was temporarily out of her gloom.

"Because, Cid gave us an old model. There's been plenty of updates since the days when this was cutting edge," Riku said, wiping some sweat off of his brow. Sometimes, the whole black cloak deal was just a bit much to handle.

"Anyways, I'm just about done," Riku said. "At least, for now. Ugh. Maintaining this is gonna be a pain. Almost wish he hadn't given it to us."

"Hey! Don't say that around Highwind!" Riku rolled his eyes and nimbly leaped off of the wing.

"Okay, I need to make sure you know that it's not actually alive," Riku said, tugging at his gloves. Namine smiled and reached up towards the wing.

"I know. I have a bad habit of pretending things that things that aren't alive are," she said, and while there wasn't a frown or a murmur of sadness in her voice, Riku could sense it.

"A-Anyways," he quickly said. "We'd better get moving now. "

"Yeah."

They clambered, a bit hastily, into the ship. Riku quickly moved for the pilot's seat while Namine tiptoed around the deck, running her fingers along its interior.

"Alright... we just gotta set in the coordinates for Traverse Town... Lucky for us, Cid said he had them programmed in so we don't have to go hunting through systems... " Riku said, typing furiously. It was eerily reminiscent of DiZ's devoted work. Namine shivered at the comparison. There was no denying that the two were similar. Driven and internally motivated to the point of insanity, stubborn, arrogant, quick-tempered, and closer to the darkness than most people could even imagine. The only difference Namine could see was that while Riku acted out of guilt, DiZ acted out of vengeance and rage, and it was a small difference at that. It made Namine wonder why she was getting along so well with one and so poorly with the other.

"Sit down," Riku said, flicking a few switches. The engine hummed to life. Namine obliged him, and she could feel the force push her against her seat as they ripped out of the atmosphere of Twilight Town. Namine sat in her seat as the roar of the rockets died in her ears and the world behind her shrank into the background.

"... So small," Namine said, staring wistfully outside.

"Hm?"

"Huh? N-Nothing," Namine said. She didn't need Riku to hear her gushing about stars at this point in time.

"No really, what'd you say?" Riku said.

"I-It's just-... you wouldn't want to hear me just talking," Namine said.

"Are you gonna get all shy around me now?" Riku said. "Seriously. It's better than just silence."

"...I-I was just looking at all the stars." Riku spared them a glance. "They're... They're so many worlds out there. It just made me feel... really small."

Riku said nothing in return. He had once felt that, but he had since been spoiled by his own power and role in the events that unfolded. He had spent so long just taking his prominence in the fate of the worlds for granted.

Sometimes, Riku really hated his power. In days past, he might have relished the chance to have such incredible influence, to have the weight of the worlds resting on his shoulders, to perform in the most intense situations. Now, it just made him sick with unease. He shouldn't have that much power. And, to ice off the cake, it was dark power.

At this point, it was all Riku could do to hope he was just being a conceited, overconfident punk.

Silence had settled in. Namine could feel the cold emanating from the empty space surrounding them. Blackness stretching to infinity, with nothing but specks of glittering white tossed around the backdrop. From this perspective, it just seemed so painfully vacant and quiet.

"So... I've been meaning to ask," Riku said. "That whole... people forgetting about us? How does that work?"

"...Like I said. The memories of Sora superimpose their memories of us when they're restored. It's like hitting the factory reset button on their minds," Namine said. "Before all the tampering. All my tampering." _Ah. It seems so lonely here, even with Riku. So empty..._

"...It's just weird," Riku said, staring straight ahead. "I mean... people I've met. People I know I've met, beyond a shadow of a doubt. And when Sora wakes up, they'll forget me."

"It's the price to be paid for dabbling in darkness," Namine said.

"Is that how you became a witch?" Riku asked. Namine flinched.

"...Not quite..." she said, trailing off in such a way that Riku knew not to pursue.

_That's right..._ she thought, remembering DiZ's words and harsh observations. _I'm alone. No matter what... Just wander along from world to world, Riku's silent tag-along. And then we'll fade. Then I'll fade. That's how it goes..._

At that point, the atmosphere inside the ship was almost as suffocating as the atmosphere outside.

A fortunate distraction flitted across Riku's field of view.

"What the-" Riku said, but the ship rocked nearly tossing him off the controls. He glanced back quickly at Namine who had managed to get hold of a railing.

"Crap..." Riku muttered, getting his balance again, only to get knocked off it once again, stumbling the other way. As he pressed again the side window, he managed to glimpse a horde of ships bearing the Nobody symbol.

"Namine! Strap in," Riku said, to find she already had. Riku grunted as he made his way back to the pilot seat. He pulled the strap around him, gritting his teeth as another hit rocked the ship. Various obstacles were appearing ahead of them along with even more Nobody ships.

"Alright, stay with me," Riku said around clenched teeth as he clutched the controls.

"You know you just talked to something that isn't alive, right?" Namine said.

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Seriously? You're going to do this now?" Riku snapped, looking back at Namine, his eyes shot with such a ridiculously wild look that Namine had to giggle.

"What would you like me to do, Captain?" she said, giving a lackadaisical salute from her seat. Riku scoffed and turned back.

"Shut up and hold tight," he said. "I'll show you why we did all that garage work on this piece of junk..."

"Don't call her-"

Riku floored the accelerator and whatever Namine was about to say was immediately sent back into her lungs as the ship jumped forward, scraping a nearby obstacle as it passed.

"Are you crazy?"

"Quite possibly," Riku said, his teeth still clenched. "And I've got a fully operational gummi ship with guns at my disposal."

As a small thicket of Nobody ships rose and approached from the right, Riku angled the ship and unleashed an onslaught of bolts, expertly destroying them.

"Got 'em," RIku said, narrowly veering around another obstacle.

"Yeah, not nearly done yet," Namine said, looking out to see the hordes gathering ahead.

"Yeah, yeah, give me a-," Riku cringed as the Highwind bounced off another obstacle.

"Great job, hotshot. You want to stop crashing?"

"Look, if you think you can do better, come up here and fly it yourself," Riku said, over his shoulder. There was a pause, a click, and suddenly small hands gently guided him aside from the controls.

"Hey, what're you-"

"I'm flying," Namine said, focusing ahead.

"Why the-"

"Because you told me to, and you suck at flying," Namine said, gripping the controls tight as she pulled around the corner of an obstruction.

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do, Riku, and I'll prove it," Namine said, as she flew straight for the swarm of Nobody ships.

"H-Hey, don't be reckless. You have to open fire now," Riku said as they drew closer. They were practically inside the swarm by now.

"Namine!" Riku said, and she quickly swung the ship into a dive, deftly maneuvering beneath the mass of ships. As she did, she quickly punched in some keys and the ship released a salvo of missiles into the nest, detonating and decimating.

Namine pulled back up and, after ducking a few more obstacles and shooting down a few straggler ships, set the ship back on course for Traverse Town. She took a deep breath and looked expectantly at Riku, who was doing his best to appear aloof and nonchalant. Finally, he sighed and addressed her.

"Alright. Not bad," Riku said. Namine put her hands on her hips, and Riku scratched the back of his head, looking away.

"Not bad?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Good. Very good," Riku said. "How'd you fly like that?"

"I guess Highwind just likes me more," Namine said, folding her arms and grinning. Riku scoffed.

"Whatever. You got-" Riku said, but Highwind jolted to a halt and Riku stumbled back, barely holding his footing as Namine crashed headfirst into him.

"Owww," she said, holding her forehead as Riku helped her up.

"What was..." Riku said, then fell silent. Namine followed his gaze and laid eyes on Traverse Town for the first time.

"Welcome to Traverse Town," Riku said, staring at it. "The world where all lost souls end up."

_A fitting place for us then_ Namine thought, gazing down at the small world.

* * *

_Meh._

_Sorry for making you guys wait for this one, especially when there's still no fighting yet. Ugh. You know, there's so much emphasis on big emotional moments and stuff in modern writing and movies that they never tell you how hard it is to just right a normal conversation between two (relatively) normal people. Hence, the issues I have with these chapters. Battle scenes are natural for me. This whole... "dialogue" thing... I really struggle with it._

_But who gives a shit? KINGDOM HEARTS 3 PEOPLE!_

_Seriously, after Final Fantasy XV (another game I am super stoked about. Even if you're not a FF fan, you should check this one out. It's a joint project from the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts teams, and the gameplay looks so sick) I was just sitting there and the KH trailer starts and I was like "Oh, HD 1.5 ReMix, kinda weird that it's getting an E3 trailer, but whatever" and then it showed the new cutscene and I was starting to think "No... no way" and then the logo came up and I lost my mind._

_I'm 19 years old. Why do I want to play this so badly?_

_The answer, of course, is nostalgia, but who cares, its amazing either way._

_Super excited for that. Just wanted to throw it out there. And you're all awesome for being Kingdom Hearts fans. And reading my story. Seriously. Thanks._

_-CrashingWorlds_


End file.
